Associate – Immigration; NQ – PQE

We are seeking a technically capable and enthusiastic junior Associate to join our highly regarded immigration team. Working closely with experienced lawyers, you will advise businesses and individuals on a broad range of UK immigration matters, with a particular focus on business immigration, sponsorship and right to work compliance.

The role will include supporting corporate immigration applications, sponsor licence and compliance work, right to work advice and audits, as well as personal immigration applications. You will receive close supervision and regular feedback, with opportunities to develop direct client relationships and take on increasing responsibility as your experience grows.

The team does not advise on asylum, refugee or human rights claims.

Our top-ranked immigration team offers quality and strength in depth unusual outside the City. Immigration forms part of our wider, growing Employment, Pensions and Immigration team. We are committed to an active and intelligent growth strategy, for the team and the whole firm.

The immigration team currently consists of a partner, two other senior lawyers and a trainee. The work of the team is high-quality and diverse.

The team is supported by the full range of specialists, including tax, private client, employment, pensions, real estate, commercial and corporate. A large proportion of our clients are multinational, based overseas or have international business interests, and we frequently work with overseas law firms, including the major jurisdictions in Europe and the US.

The firm’s clients include household name FTSE 100 PLCs and other major national and international groups, mid-tier businesses (quoted, private equity and privately owned), management teams in private equity backed businesses, and start-up companies, as well as individuals. Examples of clients that you may experience working with include Rock Rail, Asahi, RBB Economics, Accord, Papa Johns, and ScaleAI.

• Assisting with and progressively managing business immigration applications, including under the Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility:
  Senior/Specialist Worker routes
• Advising on sponsor licence applications and sponsor compliance
• Advising on right to work checks and prevention of illegal working requirements
• Assisting with sponsor compliance audits and preparing audit reports and recommendations
  
  Assisting with a range of other applications, including for partners, dependants, students, graduates, visitors, UK Ancestry and settlement or citizenship
• Preparing advice notes, reviewing application forms, drafting representations
• Liaising with clients, including HR teams and individuals
• Liaising with the Home Office
• Conducting legal research and monitoring immigration law and policy developments
• Updating precedents and collating know how
• Helping to prepare and deliver client training, briefings and webinars
• Supporting business development, including in relation to responding to enquiries, drafting articles and updates, delivering training, taking part in pitches and attending events

• Qualified, or due to qualify shortly, as a solicitor in England and Wales
• Previous relevant immigration experience, ideally with a focus on business immigration and sponsorship
• A genuine interest in immigration law
• Strong technical ability, and attention to detail (appropriate to your level of experience)
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate clearly, confidently and sensitively to both business and individual clients
• Enthusiastic to learn and keep on top of a rapidly changing area of law and to embrace the use of AI
• Willingness to assist with updating precedents and knowledge management
• Highl…