Elena Hinchin > Farrer & Co > London, England > Lawyer Profile

A team with ‘no weak links‘, the immigration group at Farrer & Co acts for domestic and international corporates in all aspects of business immigration. The group regularly advises corporate clients on issues such as Sponsor Licences, compliance, Skilled Worker applications and Global Business Mobility routes, and also has ‘fantastic knowledge of the education sector‘. As part of a full-service firm, the team can also provide HNW individuals, family offices and start-ups with holistic advice on both the private and corporate aspects of their affairs. The group is led by immigration specialist Elena Hinchin whose ‘knowledge and experience in the field is exceptional‘, and also includes Adam Hoefel who has extensive experience with sponsor license applications and compliance, and Sonia Cala-Lesina who is knowledgeable in the work sponsorship system under the Skilled Worker route.

With a particular focus on HNW and high-profile individuals and families, Farrer & Co has a well-regarded team of specialised immigration lawyers who advise across all areas of UK immigration law. The group has noteworthy expertise advising European nationals and their families seeking to reside in the UK, and regularly handles discretionary applications under the EU Settlement Scheme that involve, for example, long periods of absences. The team is also highly capable in assisting clients from a variety of jurisdictions who are facing issues such as political attacks, targeted persecutions and economic raiding. Practice head Elena Hinchin specialises in providing strategic immigration advice to HNW and UHNW individuals, politically exposed people, senior executives as well as other professionals and their family members. Another key lawyer is Tom Hardwick, who has extensive experience with complex personal immigration matters, including issues relating to British nationality law, family members of British citizens, EEA immigration law and asylum, and he is particularly skilled in discretionary applications.

Farrer & Co boasts an expert team that handles complex asylum and human rights claims, especially those involving politically exposed HNW clients. Praised for its ‘unparalleled experience in dealing with clients who value their confidentiality, where discretion is an utmost consideration,‘ the group regularly advises clients in difficult situations arising from geo-political events, targeted persecutions, political attacks and economic raiding. Leading the practice, Elena Hinchin is described as ‘one of the best immigration practitioners around‘ and has a broad practice with particular expertise representing HNW and politically exposed individuals. The group also includes Lee Jackson, who has extensive experience in complex immigration, asylum and cross-border litigation, and Tom Hardwick, who excels in human rights applications and asylum work.