Back to rankings
Melissa Southall

Melissa Southall

More information
Sydney Mitchell LLP

Sydney Mitchell LLP

England - West Midlands • Employment

1

Immigration

The immigration team at Sydney Mitchell LLP represents clients in significant matters throughout the immigration space. With an established practice in private fee-paying immigration matters, often handling personal and human rights-based cases, the practice has developed a strong corporate offering, dealing with several sponsorship licence applications and skilled worker applications. The team is led by André Minnaar, who brings vast experience in immigration and asylum work, often resolving complicated UK immigration, asylum, and nationality problems. Further support is offered by Melissa Southall, who provides extensive personal immigration advice to clients ranging from spouse visas and applications for children to European applications for citizenship.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Phone
01216982200
Email
[email protected]
Profile
sydneymitchell.co.uk

Profile

Work Department
Immigration
Position

Associate

Melissa is an experienced Solicitor and provides extensive personal immigration advice to our clients on spouse visas, applications for children, asylum, European applications to citizenship.

Melissa is an extremely knowledgeable immigration Solicitor with over 11 years post qualification experience and almost 15 years’ experience working within the legal field. She provides extensive personal immigration advice to our clients on a wide variety of matters such as spouse visas, applications for children, asylum, citizenship, and European applications as well as some business immigration matters such as Skilled Work visas. She is recognised in the Legal 500 as being 'very approachable, professional and supportive'.

Melissa has several years experience in all kinds of immigration and asylum work, and has a particular interest in applications involving the rights of children. She has worked with a number of Local Authorities over the years representing children in Local Authority care who have immigration problems.

Career
  • April 2019 – Associate, Sydney Mitchell LLP
  • May 2014 – April 2019 - Solicitor, Cartwright King
  • May 2013 – April 2014 - Solicitor, Alsters Kelley
  • Sept 2011 – Mar 2013 - Solicitor, Blakemores
  • Sept 2009 – Sept 2011 - Trainee Solicitor, Blakemores
Languages
French
Education

2007 – 2009 College of Law, Birmingham
2003 – 2007 University of Birmingham LLB Hons Law with French
2001 – 2003 King Edward VI College, Stourbridge

Content supplied by Sydney Mitchell LLP

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Throughout all of my dealings with the immigration department at Sydney Mitchell, they have always been very professional. A particular mention goes to André Minnaar, who has always gone above and beyond to reassure me and keep me up to date.’

    ‘André Minnaar has always given a very personal and professional service. He is an expert in his field.’

    ‘Sydney Mitchell has always worked together efficiently and brilliantly as a team. Everything from start to finish has been flawless, no stress and very clear.’

    ‘Friendly, professional and good value for money.’

    ‘They are extremely professional and they give the appropriate support and guidance.’

    ‘They are on time with all the services, really professional, and the attention to my case was absolutely phenomenal.’

    ‘The team was very good to deal with, and the team made the work process easy.'

    ‘I dealt with André Minnaar. He was professional in his work and gave you the assistance you needed, which made everything go well.’

Work highlights

Applied successfully for entry clearance in accordance with the de facto adopted child rules, although the child in question was not yet adopted by the single mother parent, as a result of Indonesian Law not allowing a single parent over 40 to adopt.