Immigration

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP

The immigration group at Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is praised as ‘word-class in terms of professional skills, knowledge of the law and effectiveness’, and has expertise in all aspects of business immigration with particular emphasis on the education, tech and private wealth sectors. The department has its own audit compliance and training arm, extensive experience handling private individual applications for businesses and assisting private clients wanting to set up businesses in the UK, and can additionally draw on the firm’s employment, corporate and dispute resolution teams. Pat Saini leads the immigration team as well as the India group and is particularly knowledgeable in the tech, education and life sciences sectors, and Hazar El-Chamaa acts for corporate clients in a broad range of sectors, and as well as heading the firm’s private wealth offering. The group also includes Meghan Vozila who is ‘a star’ and advises on all aspects of UK immigration and nationality law, and Afeefah Shabbir assists corporate clients with comprehensive immigration advice and is ‘very knowledgeable, responsive and flexible in her approach’.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘Pat Saini, after having spent no more than 5 minutes on the phone with me, knew exactly what I should do and when, and immediately sent the paperwork over for me to officially hire them. Over the next few days, my issue was resolved efficiently.'
‘Empathy and action. Diligence and knowledge in advice as well as strategies to reach goals and tools. Collaboration is excellent, technology explained step by step with success. Very good follow-up.’
'Hazar El-Chamaa is personable and skillful. Very easy to work with.'
‘I have had the privilege of working with the Penningtons' immigration professionals for over 3 years now. This team is word-class in terms of professional skills, knowledge of the law and effectiveness. Instead, the main points of differentiation that has remained with my is valuing their Empathy and Advocacy.'
‘Afeefah Shabir, in particular, is very knowledgeable, responsive and flexible in her approach. She thinks of creative but compliant ways to help us to achieve what we want to achieve.'
‘Pat Saini is experienced, knowledgeable, responsive, extremely well connected and easy to work with. Pat is results-oriented and works with us, her clients, to achieve wider strategic goals as well as helping to resolve pressing operational matters.’
‘The entire UK immigration team at Penningtons is excellent; extremely knowledgeable, responsive and get things done. The team has extraordinary client care, thoroughly supporting clients throughout the immigration process, and regularly and successfully advise on complex matters.’
‘Meghan Vozila is a star; deftly handling an array of UK immigration matters with ease.

Key clients

Regent’s University
S P Jain School of Management
Route Mobile
Asia Investments
Oxford International Group
Lendable
Dhani
Navitas
Liverpool Media Academy
Oak Philanthropy

Work highlights

Acting for various education clients, carrying out compliance audits with action plans and preparing them for UKVI audits. In some cases, dealing directly with UKVI where compliance have been raised by UKVI.
Assisting business clients with recruitment strategy in light of upcoming UKVI changes and how to navigate the immigration rule changes.