Luqmani Thompson & Partners

Luqmani Thompson is a well-established niche legal practice based in North London, with industry expertise in immigration, human rights, nationality and public law. The firm is regularly involved in complex immigration matters on behalf of both private fee-paying and legally aided clients. The firm has represented clients before the Special Immigration Appeal Court (SIAC), the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights.

Luqmani Thompson’s immigration department undertake a breadth of work including:

• UKVI applications under the immigration rules;
• Applications made outside of the immigration rules, based on long residence, family life in the UK or other compassionate considerations;
• Asylum and protection-based applications;
• Appeals in the First-Tier Tribunal;
• Judicial review and higher court work;

Luqmani Thompson’s public law team undertakes varied work, advising clients (individuals, as well as businesses and other organisations) who wish to challenge decisions of public bodies in relation to immigration, asylum and human rights.

The firm routinely advises clients on private immigration matters, including both individuals and families who are making applications both under – and outside – the immigration rules. The firm also has expertise in advising businesses from a variety of sectors, including small to medium enterprises to both acquire sponsor licences, as well as to make visa applications for their employees.

Luqmani Thompson regularly represents vulnerable clients, including unaccompanied minors in the care system, victims of trafficking and victims of domestic violence under their legal aid contract. The firm also regularly acts for local authorities on a private basis, in relation to regularising the status of children in care, assisting with settlement applications for people under the care of local authorities as well as advising local authorities on registering children as British citizens.

The firm also has represented appellants in several Country Guidance cases including HD (trafficked women) Nigeria CG [2016] UKUT 454 (IAC) and OO (gay men: risk) Algeria [2013] UKUT 00063 (IAC). These cases led to new Country Guidance being issued in relation to both trafficked women from Nigeria and gay men from Algeria.

The expertise within Luqmani Thompson is recognised widely and the firm has provided training to various organisations, including local authorities, NGOs and other legal firms. Founding partner Jawaid Luqmani was also Chief Assessor for the Law Society’s Immigration and Asylum Law Accreditation Scheme between 2011-2015, and was appointed to the Council of the Law Society of England and Wales from October 2021-October 2022. Milla Walker, who is a partner and joint head of immigration law, was shortlisted for the Human Rights Lawyer of the Year award by the Law Society Excellence Awards (and ‘highly commended’ by judges) in 2020. Founding partner Sally Thompson was Winner of the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Award in Practice Management in 2019.