The large team at Duncan Lewis Solicitors is praised for ‘consistently going above and beyond expectations to deliver the best legal service for clients’. Darren Middleton is the practice head, and is accredited as a supervising senior caseworker under the Immigration and Asylum Law accreditation scheme. The group frequently represents vulnerable clients who are victims of torture or trafficking in asylum and human rights matters, as well as in detained asylum cases. The team is well-placed to assist asylum-seeking children, and has significant experience of acting in judicial review immigration cases before the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Former Birmingham co-head Ahmed Aydeed now works exclusively from the London office.
Immigration in West Midlands
Duncan Lewis Solicitors
Practice head(s):
Darren Middleton
Testimonials
‘Commitment to their clients – an understanding that the group they represent are often vulnerable and that how we work with them needs to be flexible and forgiving.’
‘Darren Middleton understands the needs of the clients and ensures that every effort is made to achieve a successful outcome.’
‘The team at Duncan Lewis Solicitors based at their Birmingham branch consistently go above and beyond expectations to deliver the best legal service for their clients.’
Sydney Mitchell LLP
André Minnaar heads an ‘extremely efficient’ team, which is ‘friendly, knowledgeable and responsive’, at Sydney Mitchell LLP. The ‘very diligent’ Minnaar is a skilled tribunal advocate, and has a strong LGBTQI following. The team specialises in private fee-paying immigration matters of a personal and human rights based nature. Recently it has expanded its practice to include corporate immigration matters. ‘Very professional’ senior associate Melissa Southall also garners praise for her personal immigration advice to clients. The group regularly advises on spousal visas, applications for children and asylum matters, as well as European applications for citizenship.
Practice head(s):
André Minnaar
Other key lawyers:
Melissa Southall
Testimonials
‘André Minnaar is a consummate professional, with in-depth knowledge of immigration, and an easygoing and friendly personality. I am so happy I found him, having André on our side gives me every confidence in obtaining my wife’s visa.’
‘Mr Minnaar is very knowledgeable about immigration laws; he is always happy to explain everything and he is easy to reach and communicate with. He makes you feel at ease during the process.’
‘André was very diligent, together with his immense knowledge and expertise in immigration law. Throughout my case André has been very sensitive to my needs and I am exceptionally delighted with the positive outcome. I found André to be an exemplary and very dedicated solicitor.’
Work highlights
- Successfully appealed the refusal of fresh submissions of a gay female failed asylum seeker based on fresh evidence of her sexual orientation.
- Successfully opposed a deportation order of a person who came to the UK aged 14 in accordance with family reunion with his mother who was recognised as a refugee.
- Successfully applied for an adult dependent relative, despite the very stringent rules relating to such individuals.
VWV
The ‘very knowledgeable’ Tom Brett Young leads the firm’s immigration team at VWV – he is described as a ‘very safe pair of hands‘. Brett Young specialises in both business and personal immigration. He has a wealth of experience in acting for international companies, SMEs and universities on a wide range of immigration matters. Other clients include independent schools and high-net-worth individuals. A key component of the practice is advising employers and education providers on their compliance duties as sponsors of workers, and on student visa applications. Senior associate Talitha Degwa is another notable member of the practice. Degwa is increasingly focusing on growing the firm’s corporate immigration practice in the technology sectors.
Practice head(s):
Tom Brett Young
Other key lawyers:
Talitha Degwa
Testimonials
‘VWV have a down-to-earth, capable team. Talitha Degwa is extremely sharp. She has a great work ethic and is extremely knowledgeable.’
‘Competent, efficient and reliable. Tom Brett Young is our main contact and provides an excellent service.’
‘VWV have provided timely and clear guidance on how to navigate the government’s sponsorship and visa processes.’
Wright Hassall LLP
At the helm at Wright Hassall LLP is Matthew Davies, who has a strong client base covering leading names in retail, food, confectionary and other areas such as financial and professional services. In addition, Davies advises leading law firms on their internal immigration issues, as well as providing business immigration input to their clients. He is also known for his work where there is a cross-over between immigration and employment law, especially in cases involving allegations of illegal working. Tracie Udall, who provides ‘highly practical and pragmatic’ advice, is another name to note. The group works closely with its corporate and employment departments to help with the management of sponsor licence applications, and advise on sponsor migrant status.
Practice head(s):
Matthew Davies
Other key lawyers:
Tracie Udall
Testimonials
‘It is very useful to have direct contact with a very knowledgeable partner who is readily available to us.’
‘Matthew Davies’ pragmatic and solution-based approach together with his patient explanations of the simplest procedural matters to the trickiest of immigration quirks are very much appreciated.’
‘Very accessible, helpful and extremely knowledgeable, the Wright Hassall team are our “go-to” source of advice and guidance on all aspects of immigration and associated employment matters.’
Bevan Brittan LLP
Ashley Norman co-heads the practice at Bevan Brittan LLP along with legal director Tijen Ahmet, who was formerly the head of department at Shakespeare Martineau LLP. The firm’s excellent national immigration practice is particularly known within the NHS, healthcare and university sectors. Norman regularly advises clients from a range of sectors on various matters such as immigration compliance and audits. He has also been working with some major City and US law firms on numerous immigration issues. Ahmet frequently acts for high-net-worth entrepreneurs and their families.
Practice head(s):
Ashley Norman; Tijen Ahmet
Key clients
Camden & Islington NHS FT
Historic England
Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
Stone House Home Limited
Virgin Healthcare
UK Youth
Work highlights
- Advised a large financial services client on UK immigration issues including sponsorship of skilled workers in specialised regulatory roles and compliance with their sponsor licence.
- Advised an Italian manufacturing company on intra-company transfers via the Global Business Mobility route and supported the client with entry clearance visa requirements in Skilled Worker specialised engineering roles.
- Advised a major health trust on right to work compliance, sponsorship under shortage occupation jobs and restrictions of work rights for foreign healthcare professionals.
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP
The team at Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP provides a ‘top-notch service – they are very responsive and provide customised solutions to our ongoing matters’. Under the joint leadership of Audrey Elliott and legal director Nerys Ireland, the group is well-placed to provide strategic advice to national and international commercial clients. In addition, it has considerable cross-border capabilities, and regularly undertakes large-scale projects across numerous jurisdictions. The group has been busy advising on issues such as right to work, and on co-ordinating the movement of staff across its clients’ businesses.
Practice head(s):
Audrey Elliott; Nerys Ireland
Testimonials
‘This is a friendly, experienced and incredibly knowledgeable team. The team will always support with any queries or requests, and if a member of the team cannot support they will share it with someone who can. Billing processes are clear and easy to understand.’
‘It provides top-notch service to our organisation – they are very responsive and provide customised solutions to our ongoing matters. They definitely do not provide cookie-cutter service and we love that about them.’
‘Audrey Elliott develops solutions that take into account our risk tolerance and company culture; and is proactive in informing us of regulatory changes that may be on the horizon.’
Key clients
St David’s Catholic College
Leeds Trinity University NoUniversity of Greenwich
Northeastern University
Harper Adams
Turning Point
University College London
Birmingham City University
University of Bristol
Solertia Insurance
Sheffield Hallam
Work highlights
- Advising St David’s Catholic College on the threatened revocation of its sponsor licence. Worked with the college to monitor its compliance and to put representations to the UKVI challenging the decision. This resulted in a successful result with the revocation being overturned.
- Providing strategic advice to Turning Point following care workers being included on the shortage occupation list and worked with the client to identify workers who would require sponsorship and those who did not.
- Supported Leeds Trinity University with its student visa application process by interviewing its students to assess credibility and to provide recommendations to the university as to whether to assign a CAS or not.
The Wilkes Partnership
The Wilkes Partnership is lauded for its ‘very competent and client-focused approach’, ably led by Pam Sidhu. Sidhu is the lead contact for business immigration work, and is supported by lawyers from the firm’s employment and corporate teams. It advises several employer clients and owner managers on diverse matters. Areas of concentration include advising on skilled worker status, global business mobility issues and sponsorship matters.
Practice head(s):
Pam Sidhu
Testimonials
‘A team distinguished by its unparalleled commitment to excellence and client satisfaction. The firm’s unique strengths lie in its profound understanding of immigration law intricacies, coupled with a personalised touch that ensures tailored solutions for clients.’
‘Pam Sidhu’s deep knowledge ensures clients receive tailored solutions.’
‘A supportive team that have helped with an ever-changing landscape of immigration law. Always available to support and be aware of the most up-to-date legislation, which helps significantly. Pam Sidhu is very diligent and supportive.’
Key clients
German Christmas Company Limited
7Dxperts UK Ltd
Electro-Service R.B. SRL
Franklin Covey Europe Limited
Margetts Limited
Simportal Limited
Advena Medical Limited
Caeser LLC
Lunar HR
Hanson Lawrie
Vector Corrosion Technologies Limited
Specsfactory Germany Ltd
Work highlights
- Adviser to German Christmas Company Ltd, the largest German Christmas market operator in Europe outside of Germany and Austria for several years.
- Adviser to a major global engineering business for offshore windfarms with over 40 locations and 2,000 employees worldwide.
- Adviser to a fast-growing global events company on international employment and immigration issues arising from deployment of staff across the globe in order to design, build and de-rig stage infrastructure for major world events.
Shakespeare Martineau LLP
Solicitor Calum Hanrahan now heads the team at Shakespeare Martineau LLP
, in the aftermath of Tijen Ahmet‘s departure to Bevan Brittan LLP. Hanrahan advises businesses and individuals across a variety of sectors, with expertise in diverse areas such as agriculture, engineering, further and higher education, retail, food and hospitality, manufacturing and transport.
Practice head(s):
Calum Hanrahan
Testimonials
‘Down-to-earth practical advice given consistently. Calum Hanrahan is always there to provide advice in a way that is easy to understand and in a timely manner.’
‘Calum’s advice is clear, concise, and free from jargon. He looks ahead and informs us of future changes to law, or cost increases.’
‘The bottom line is that I trust Calum’s advice. He has managed a number of cases for us, and has never steered us wrong. He goes the extra mile in his prep for each step of the process.’
Key clients
European real estate client
Transport client
A higher education university
Games manufacturing client
Work highlights
- Supported an Italy-based real estate client with preparing its UK operations to transfer specialist staff from its overseas operations to the UK.
- Supported a transport client with the transfer of staff to the UK to support with the growth of a multimillion-pound project.
- Providing high-level support to a university client with the sponsorship of higher education teaching professionals, and with right to work queries for international students, as well as with general compliance with its worker sponsor licence.