Ms Anita de Atouguia > Doyle Clayton > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Doyle Clayton Offices
ONE CROWN COURT
CHEAPSIDE
LONDON
EC2V 6LR
England
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Ms Anita de Atouguia
Work Department
Business Immigration
Position
Partner and Head of Business Immigration
Career
Anita practises both business and personal immigration and is the firm’s Head of Immigration.
Anita has specialised in immigration law since 2000 years and is one of the UK’s leading immigration experts. She joined Doyle Clayton in 2012 to set up its Immigration service, having worked in the immigration practices of some of the UK’s best known full service law firms including CMS and Lewis Silkin.
Throughout her career, Anita has helped organisations (including law firms) set up and expand in the UK – getting the licences, sponsorships, visas and permissions needed to enable the people that they want as well as their families to work, live and also study in Britain.
She has also helped many well-known entrepreneurs, investors, actors, celebrities and sports people as well their relations (including foreign husbands/wives/spouses, civil partners, fiance(es), proposed civil partners, children and adult dependants) and personal advisors come to the UK, extend their stay – with many remaining permanently (Indefinite Leave to Remain), be naturalised and become British citizens and UK passport holders.
Anita has excellent multi-tasking skills and a keen eye for detail which enables her to provide her clients with a rounded service, including providing strategic advice on complex immigration issues. Her considerable network of contacts within the UK Home Office (built up from personally developing the relationships with UKVI over the years) ensures that, where required, clients have an expedited service and first-class treatment.
Under Anita’s leadership the firm’s Immigration team has built a reputation for its “refreshingly straightforward” approach and is regularly described as “excellent” and “outstanding in a really complex area”, and as having “more professional and expert staff than other firms”.
Doyle Clayton Partner – November 2015 – Present
Doyle Clayton Business Immigration Solicitor, Associate, Senior Associate – October 2012 – November 2015
Lewis Silkin LLP Associate, Senior Associate – March 2007 – May 2012
CMS Cameron McKenna Global Business Immigration Paralegal – April 2006 – March 2007
Dual qualified: Admitted Advocate of High Court of South Africa, and qualified Solicitor of England and Wales
Year qualified: 2001 (South Africa); 2008 (England and Wales)
Languages
English, Afrikaans, Portuguese (basic)
Memberships
Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA);
British South African Lawyers Association (BSALA)
Education
University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Bachelor of Arts (BA); Bachelor of Laws (LLB); Master of Laws (LLM)
Lawyer Rankings
London > Employment > Immigration
(Next Generation Partners)Distinguished for its ‘exceptional customer care and guidance‘, the seasoned immigration group at Doyle Clayton advises clients such as corporations, global businesses, educational institutions and entrepreneurs on the full range of immigration matters. Practice head and business immigration expert Anita de Atouguia has a ‘strategic approach to immigration matters that makes her service stand out‘, and Alfreda Joubert advises corporates and private clients on all aspects of business immigration, with particular expertise advising startup firms in sectors such as Construction and AI to expand their businesses in the UK. Both lawyers are dual-qualified in the UK and South Africa. Malini Skandachanmugarasan is also a key contact for corporate immigration issues, especially ones involving strategic direction and discretionary applications. Elisabeth Kynaston, who regularly advises on sponsor licenses and right to work issues, and Anna Blackden who assists clients such as educational institutions and employers on a broad range of immigration matters, are also notable practitioners. Adam Cotterill left the group in October 2023.
London > Employment > Immigration: personal
Overseen by Anita de Atouguia, Doyle Clayton‘s practice advises on all aspects of UK immigration law and is praised for its ‘attention to detail, integrity, and great responsiveness‘. Working with a diverse range of clients, the group’s expertise includes Global Talent and Innovator Founder applications, human rights issues and applications from EU nationals and family members. Malini Skandachanmugarasan ‘knows the intricacies of the laws and regulations‘ and specialises in the full range of UK immigration law, with particular skill in handling discretionary applications for individuals and families unable meet requirements under the immigration rules, in addition to late EU Settlement Scheme applications. The group also includes Anna Blackden, who is a specialist in education and student immigration matters.
London > Employment > Immigration: human rights
The ‘very attentive and skilled‘ immigration lawyers at Doyle Clayton provide specialist human rights advice on complex and discretionary immigration applications. With expertise in private client, asylum and human rights issues, the group is a strong choice for a broad range of asylum seekers, overstayers and individuals requiring protection. The team is led by Anita de Atouguia. Malini Skandachanmugarasan specialises in in all aspects of UK immigration law, including a variety of human-rights matters such as political asylum, and Anna Blackden advises on the full range of immigration law with emphasis on human rights and personal immigration.
Lawyer Rankings
- Next Generation Partners London > Employment > Immigration
- Immigration London > Employment
- Immigration: human rights London > Employment
- Immigration: personal London > Employment