Senior Associate, Immigration

About the Team

Fieldfishers UK Immigration team sits within our market-leading People and Work practice. We advise a diverse range of UK and international clients from multinational corporations and financial institutions to technology companies life sciences businesses and high-net-worth individuals.

Led by Rhona Azir the team provides strategic corporate and private client immigration advice supporting organisations navigating the UKs evolving immigration framework while helping individuals secure their long-term immigration objectives. The team works closely with colleagues across Employment Tax Corporate and our international offices to deliver seamless cross-border solutions.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced immigration lawyer seeking greater autonomy responsibility for complex matters and the opportunity to contribute to the continued growth of a nationally recognised practice.

Role Purpose

The role requires a commercially focused lawyer who combines technical excellence with strong client relationship skills leadership capability and a commitment to developing both people and the wider practice. We are happy to consider candidates who are looking for a part time or full time role.

Our career development drivers set out what professionals are expected to demonstrate at each level of this role the Senior Associate will be expected to contribute across the following areas:

• Business & Financial Management e.g. Contributes to the negotiation of profitable fee levels for a variety of clients.
• Client Focus e.g. Able to work on large client matters with limited supervision.
• Working with People & Teams e.g. Delegates work to more junior colleagues and manages their performance and manages upwards effectively by making best use of partner/director time.
• Business Development e.g. Project manages BD activities and uses interaction to win new work from existing clients and contacts.
• Technical Skills e.g. Has a comprehensive knowledge of specialist areas of law and recognises where changes in law may require amendments to precedents and takes action.
• Knowledge & Innovation e.g. Successfully implements knowledge sharing initiatives within the team and client base and actively seeks publication or speaking opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

Technical and Client work

• Manage a varied caseload of complex corporate and private client immigration matters with minimal supervision.

• Advise employers on all aspects of UK business immigration including:
• Sponsor Licence applications management and compliance.
• Skilled Worker Global Business Mobility and other sponsored work routes.
• Right to Work compliance and audits.
• Home Office compliance visits and investigations.
• Immigration implications arising from mergers acquisitions and business restructures.

• Advise private clients on:
  • Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
  • British citizenship and naturalisation applications.
  • Family and partner applications.
  • Global mobility and complex personal immigration matters.
• Manage urgent and high-value immigration matters for key clients.
• Deliver pragmatic commercial and risk-based advice tailored to clients objectives.
• Build trusted adviser relationships with HR teams senior stakeholders and individual clients.

Business Development

• Play an active role in developing the Immigration practice and growing client relationships.
• Identify cross-selling opportunities with Employment Corporate Tax and other practice groups.
• Prepare client alerts articles and briefing papers on developments in immigration law.
• Present at client training sessions seminars webinars and industry events.
• Contribute to pitches panel reviews and strategic business development initiatives.

Team Leadership

• Supervise mentor and support junior lawyers trainees and support staff.
• Assist with training programmes and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
• Contribute to the teams operational excellence and quality standards.
• Support resource planning and matter management across the immigration team.

Other Responsibilities

• Supervise and mentor junior lawyers and trainees supporting their professional development.
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships through excellent service delivery and responsiveness.
• Contribute to business development initiatives including pitches client presentations publications and industry events.
• Drive efficient matter management financial discipline and delivery against budgets and timelines.
• Collaborate effectively across international offices and practice groups.
• Support innovation process improvement and knowledge management initiatives within the practice.
• Ensure compliance with professional standards firm policies and regulatory obligations.

About You

The ideal candidate will be a technically strong and commercially minded lawyer who thrives in a collaborative market facing and high-performing environment. They will demonstrate excellent communication skills consistent technical excellence and sound commercial judgement along with the ability to manage complex matters while building trusted relationships with clients and colleagues.

Candidates who currently specialise in a particular derivatives asset class are welcome provided they are open to working across the wider derivatives practice and developing new areas of expertise.

Experience and Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor in England & Wales.
• Typically 7 years PQE gained within a recognised immigration practice (pre-qualification experience will also be considered).
• Extensive experience advising on UK corporate immigration matters.
• Strong technical knowledge of UK Sponsor Licence compliance and sponsorship requirements.
• Experience managing a varied caseload independently.
• Exceptional drafting analytical and communication skills.
• Commercially focused with strong client relationship management capabilities.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively under pressure.
• Strong academic background.
• Excellent drafting negotiating documentation managing transactions end-to-end and analytical skills.
• Displays resilience and the ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively under pressure with the ability to think laterally and solve complex problems.
• Delivers work efficiently while maintaining exceptional quality standards.
• Demonstrates ability to mentor junior team members and contribute to team development.
• Commercial awareness and a proactive approach to client service and business development.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills with the ability to contribute positively to team culture promoting inclusion and collaboration effectively across global teams.

Who are we looking for

• We dont have a type. We believe our differences are our strengths; varied cultures approaches and experiences can only benefit us.

What do we offer

• You can be yourself: It takes everyone to make us who we are. Were a culture of diverse perspectives with each of us making unique contributions that make us better together.
• In the office or WFH: We think the best balance is more time in the office than at home so we operate a 60:40 rule.
• Beyond salary: We offer plenty of benefits; private medical insurance health cash plan dental insurance life assurance critical illness insurance matched pension contributions up to 7% holiday trading plus many more. Visit:Reward & Benefits Fieldfisher.
• Modern Office Space: Situated in the prestigious Paradise Birmingham at 2 Chamberlain Square Fieldfisher Birminghamhas become renowned for working closely and collaboratively with colleagues across the UK and international Fieldfisher Networks..
• Nurturing your talent:Take a build a career approach to your training. Youll be on a pathway but free to wander if you see something youd like to study more closely.
• Funnel your interests: You have a life outside work and we can help it to flourish. Join clubs affinity networks inclusive events and pro bono/charity initiatives.

Inclusion is not exclusive:

If all our differences are highlighted no one stands out for being different. At Fieldfisher all our rich diversity is celebrated.

We will provide the equipment to allow you to shine at the interview and beyond. Just let us know what you need.

For accessibility information on our Birmingham office visit:Accessing Fieldfisher Birmingham Fieldfisher

What to do next:

• Click Apply Now complete an online application and upload a CV.
• Successful applications will be invited to a 2030-minute introductory call with a recruiter.
• Every role recruits differently. But well always let you know what to expect from the process so you get no surprises.
• For hybrid opportunities youll be invited to visit our offices for a face-to-face meeting.
• We try to make sure the process takes around 2-3 weeks only but we cant always promise that. We will work around everyones availability. You can contact us at.

We recruit on a rolling basis. Your application may be reviewed before the application deadline. We accept applications until we have filled the role.

We are not a UK firm with offices in Europe. We are a European law firm at our core. While our HQ is London we are spreading across addition to UK China and Silicon Valley we have offices in Austria Belgium France Germany Ireland Italy Luxembourg the Netherlands Poland and Spain.

With 1800 people across 28 offices across 14 countries you might expect an impersonal office culture but you will find a homely family feel even in the largest offices.

Quality on both sides
Across all our offices and jurisdictions are market-leading practices in corporate/M&A finance real estate energy and natural resources technology and life sciences.

We count as clients large corporations including major technology firms pharmaceutical and life sciences companies energy suppliers infrastructure companies global banks and financial institutions.

We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and are actively working towards improving the diversity of our staff. Applications will be considered on merit and the applicants suitability to meet the requirements of the role.