Steven is a Partner in Mishcon Private and heads up the Immigration group. With over fifteen years’ experience working as an immigration lawyer, Steven provides strategic, commercial, and informed advice to private individuals and organisations. Steven works with clients from all over the world with a specific focus on the United States, India, Europe, China, and South America. Steven is dual qualified as a lawyer in both England/Wales and also the United States and is a licenced attorney with the State Bar of California.
Steven advises clients in respect of UK High Net Worth visa categories and is at the forefront of changes to these categories, regularly consulting with the Home Office to shape policy.
Steven regularly advises in respect of asylum applications in the UK. Working closely alongside the firm's in-house Extradition group, he assists high profile individuals seeking political asylum in the UK.
Steven provides long term strategic advice to help clients obtain ILR status and subsequent British citizenship. He has extensive experience with complex applications that require a solution based approach.
Steven plays a pivotal role in the firm’s corporate immigration group, working with the Employment and Corporate departments to provide an integrated client service. He advises in respect of all business immigration issues for both employers and employees including sponsor licence applications, Skilled Worker visa applications, and general compliance issues.
Steven also advises on European free movement rights, long residence applications, family-based applications, litigation matters in the Tribunals and claims for Judicial Review often with a human rights based element. He is also a leading authority on Brexit and works closely with the Firm's Brexit working group.
In addition to Steven's UK based immigration work he also advises in respect of US immigration issues.
Chambers & Partners describe Steven as "really impressive"and client feedback says he is "excellent to work with and provides a very professional and diligent service" and is also "very efficient," adding: "He knows the system inside and out." He is also recognised by The Legal 500.
Key Experience
- Steven has been at the forefront of the firm's Brexit advisory service and regularly advises corporate clients on the impact of Brexit for their European workforce.
- Working closely with the Home Office to obtain pragmatic solutions for clients who are cash rich but time poor. This includes helping a Tier 1 (Investor) client who was unable to satisfy the extension requirements to be granted a visa extension through the use of discretion by the Home Office.
- Helping Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) clients demonstrate the legitimacy of their applications. This visa category has an alarmingly high refusal rate and so Steven utilises his experience to help ensure applications are successful.
- Working closely with key contacts within the Home Office to help fast track sponsor licence applications where business needs require this, reducing consideration times significantly.
- Providing a tailored service for clients and key intermediaries in the Caribbean and Middle East in regards to second citizenship programmes. Whether driven by a need to help overcome visa restrictions, tax plan, or invest in the future, Steven is increasingly advising clients in respect of various second citizenship programmes.
- Working closely with a leading immigration barrister to help overturn a Home Office asylum refusal decision at appeal stage.
Career History
Partner, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Steven is a licenced US Attorney and a member of the California State Bar.
Managing Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Associate, Mishcon de Reya
Qualified, Mishcon de Reya
Trainee, Charles Russell
Nottingham Law School, LPC & GDL
University of Southampton, BA History