2016 Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards

Page 1

Home Sweet Home We spoke to Kenneth Flornes at Nectar Furnished Apartments, a leading provider of boutique furnished apartments and high-end corporate housing in New York and across the globe, to find out more about this dynamic and client focused firm and the services it provides.


Welcome

to the 2016 Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards

Our 2016 Global Mobility, Immigration and Logistics Awards are focused on the professionals who have performed at truly outstanding levels over the past 12 months. As the global economy continues to strengthen and industries and sectors diversify, vital to businesses the world over is the ability to move their highest performing talent, quickly, seamlessly and efficiently, to the regions and areas where they will be most efective. These awards are designed to highlight the tireless work done by those individuals and departments who, through their dedication, commitment and expertise, facilitate these moves and the transporting of resources and materials to the four corners of the globe, ensuring that the global economy and the businesses within it remain truly global.


contents 4. Nectar Furnished Apartments has won Best Short-Term Luxury Housing Company - New York 6. Amnesty Solicitors has won Best Corporate Immigration Law Firm - London 8. Benchmark Supply Chain Solutions Pvt. Ltd. has won Best Warehousing Company - India 10. Ferguson Snell And Associates Limited has won Best Niche Immigration Firm 2016 - UK 12. Infinity Cargo Express Limited has won Best Multi-Freight Service Provider - China 14. Jag Logistics Pte Ltd has won Best Young Start-Up Logistics Firm - Singapore 16. Just Immigration Consulting Limited has won Best New Immigration Consultancy - New Zealand 18. Law Offices Of James A. Bach has won Immigration & Nationality Attorney of the Year - California 20. Lugna has won Best for Business Immigration 2016 - Portugal 22. My G Ltd has won Best Immigration Solutions Company 2016 - South 24. Pro-Link Global has won Best Global Visa & Immigration Law Boutique - USA & Best-in-Class Global Immigration - USA 26. Residency Bond Program Ltd. has won Best Immigration Team 2016 28. Sirus Migration has won Best Work Visa Agents 2016 - Australia 30. Tang Legal has won Best for Visa Applications 2016 - Western Australia 32. UK Lawyers & Advocates has won Best Immigration & Human Rights Law Firm - UK 34. Ydvisas has won Best Immigration Law Firm 2016 - UK 36. YingDe Lawyers Limited has won Award for Excellence in Investment Immigration - UK


GM16025

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016

Best Short-Term Luxury Housing Company - New York

Nectar Furnished Apartments Established in 2015, Nectar Furnished Apartments is the leading provider of boutique furnished apartments and high-end corporate housing in New York and across the globe. We spoke to Kenneth Flornes to find out more about this dynamic and client focused firm and the services it provides.

The Nash - New York

4 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016


With an unwavering commitment to exceptional service and quality, Nectar delivers a sense of “Home Sweet Home” no matter where their guests are. We focus on both the corporate business traveler and the leisure long term travelers looking for experiential city living. In addition we have a strong presence in the entertainment, relocation, insurance, and consulting industries as well as with many Fortune 500 companies. One of the key features which sets our firm apart is our dedication to supporting our clients & guests. We understand the sometimes tumultuous nature that both permeant relocations and temporary long term assignments can have on our guests and we strive to create the most enjoyable experience possible. As such, whenever we start any new project or work with a new client, the first thing we do is listen. We listen to our clients, our partners, the marketplace and we always share our knowledge, insights and opinions, as we believe in true transparency. Our clients and guests are treated as part of the Nectar extended family. Our entire team strives to create solid long term relationships with our clients and guests in order to provide them with the highest level of products and services on the market. Both our sales and operations team work seamlessly in conjunction with each other to provide our clients and guests a superior corporate housing experience. Sometimes you get more from a conversation then a survey, and the more information we have the easier it will be to make the client’s experience truly enjoyable. Although listening to our clients is always vital to assessing what they need, we also examine the industry in order to understand the trends and developments that affect our clients. Firms such as Airbnb are a strong presence in the industry and are ideal for the short-term individual leisure traveller, however we do not see them as a competitor in our industry, especially in New York as our guests are more often staying for over 30 days and are usually traveling on business. These travellers crave consistency on so many levels and we have designed our firm to meet their needs. Company: Nectar Furnished Apartments Name: Kenneth Flornes Email: kflornes@nectarfa.com Web Address: nectarfa.com Address: 515 9th Avenue New York, New York 10018 Telephone: 800.419.7576

New York City is currently our core region and is where our global headquarters is located. The fact that all corporate housing stays must be 30 days or longer offers a unique challenge in this market. It is crucial for us to target clients who have 30 day stays or longer to ensure our success in this particular market. By focusing on the entertainment industry, which is currently booming in New York, we have been able to capitalize on numerous feature films and television shows that are being produced in the city. Our team also focuses on the ever growing relocation sector as more and more companies are looking to consolidate their operations and create centralized offices in this market. New York also comes with another significant challenge which is both the cost and availability of inventory. By opening up our newest division, Nectar Real Estate Services, we are able to source the best inventory at the lowest price which allows us to pass along those savings to our clients. In New York, as with many cities, it is all about location. Not all of our clients want or need to be in the same area of the city. It is critical for us to have options in multiple parts of the city including periphery areas such as Jersey City and Brooklyn. Alongside New York, we are aiming to offer our services internationally and already have offices in a number of countries. With a global presence, you must have local knowledge. It is crucial for an organization to stay on top of any legislative and regulatory developments in all aspects of our industry. We are committed and an active member of CHPA, ERC, and other industry specific associations. By being active members in the community we have knowledge about any pertinent governmental policies which could affect our community as well as and our industry as a whole. Moving forward, as we enter into our second year of operations the future of Nectar is all about growth both locally in New York and globally. We have plans to further expand our presence both nationally and globally as our clients’ demands and needs grow. To help achieve this aim we have just opened our Shanghai offices as the region is quickly becoming our second largest market. Within our industry we foresee affordable luxury, amenities and mixed space as becoming growing trends. To meet the ever evolving needs of our clients we are implementing a number of technological enhancements which also help our business to adapt to the changing market. We see an opportunity to make an investment in technology to improve both the client and the guest experience. We are aware that there is a new trend from our guests and that they seek unique, local, consistent and dynamic living environments. There is a massive paradigm shift going on in the marketplace, demands and expectations are changing exponentially. Nectar is a new provider with a combined industry knowledge of 50 years and no legacy systems, we want to lead that effort for our guests and the industry as a whole. Fundamentally at Nectar, we do not want to be the largest provider in temporary housing, just recognised as the best. Therefore our growth plan is based on our strong industry knowledge and our ability to deliver ongoing excellence for developers, property management, clients and guests.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 5


GM16031

6 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016


Best Corporate Immigration Law Firm - London

Amnesty Solicitors Amnesty Solicitors is an independent boutique law firm specialising in immigration and public law. We spoke to Neveen Galal, the firm’s Principal Solicitor about the company and the services it provides.

Specialising in immigration law, Amnesty Solicitors represents both corporate and private clients in all aspects of their immigration matters: from obtaining their initial visas, extension of their leave to remain applications, appeals and judicial reviews. We offer specialist legal advice in complex and contentious immigration cases. Company: Amnesty Solicitors Address: 63 Broadway, London, E15 6BQ Tel: 0207 1 83 84 63 Fax: 0207 1 83 85 63 email: info@amnestysolicitors.com Website: http://www.amnestysolicitors.com/

As a firm we pride ourselves on excellence of service. By concentrating on our primary area of practice we are able to stay ahead of the game and offer an elite level of legal representation in the field of Immigration law. We are proficient in the early identification of our clients’ objectives, enabling us to act expeditiously to achieve the best possible outcome for our clients without delay or in a convoluted fashion, as we appreciate that time is of the essence for many of our clients. Unlike many of our competitors we are accredited by the Law Society Immigration Accreditation Scheme as specialist senior legal advisors in the field of Immigration Law, and we are in the process of awaiting level 3 accreditation. This sets us apart from many of our competitors, as there are only a very small number of level 3 accredited immigration advisors in the industry. In addition, we also have a solicitor who has attained higher rights of audience, which enables them to conduct hearings at the High Court. This higher qualification is also a rarity amongst practising solicitors, and works to the benefit of our clients, as it enables us to conduct all level of the legal work in house. The wider availability of information on the internet has enabled clients to be more aware of their legal rights and entitlements, and as a consequence are more likely to consider costs as a factor when choosing a legal representative, as lawyers we face a future of invariable change in the way matters are financed, fixed fees are growing in popularity, and as such we offer our clients affordable fixed fees This is something I foresee becoming more commonplace in the legal industry. The change in global economic power has resulted in more foreign investors and entrepreneurs from countries such as Russia and China coming to the UK. It is possible that this may see a change in the industry with inter country partnerships with firms looking globally for growth. Operating in such a dynamic and changing industry, we work hard to remain ahead of industry developments, both legal and regulatory. By its very nature immigration is an area of law that is continually changing, and it is imperative that we know of law changes before they are implemented so that we can alter our arguments to lead our cases to a successful conclusion, whilst responding to the ever changing rules and legislation. This strategy has proved vital in winning a number of more technical cases which have come about as a result of knee jerk legislation. This approach has served us well so far, and we look towards the future to continue offering the same high standard of service to all our clients. We are proud to state that the majority of our clients are referred by recommendation, and long may that continue. In the longer term we are keen to open a second office in Central London, this is an exciting opportunity which we are hopeful of within the next 18 months, so watch this space.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 7


GM16011

8 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016


Best Warehousing Company - India

Benchmark Benchmark Supply Chain Solutions is a 3PL logistics company providing end to end logistics solutions for warehousing, distribution, international freight forwarding, customs clearance, and supply chain consulting, anytime and anywhere in world. Alok Tripathi provides us with a profile of the firm and the services it provides. Over the years the global trade the logistics industry has evolved and grown considerably. The industry has become truly global in the sense that most of the companies have now grown from single point location to companies with multiple locations with both national and overseas presence. A multinational freight forwarder can involve more in the supply chain of enterprises and offer more value-added services. In addition, the industry has attracted more educated professionals leading to higher standards of professionalism. Company: Benchmark Supply Chain Solutions Pvt Ltd Name: Alok Tripathi, CEO & Director Email: info@benchmark-supplychain.com Web: www.benchmark-supplychain.com Address: C-398 J K Plaza Ramphal Chowk Sector-7 Dwarka New Delhi -110075

Within this industry, Benchmark Supply Chain Solutions have evolved and adapted to become one of the leading supply chain solution firms across many sectors, including services, construction, power, ecommerce, electronic, telecommunication, beverages automobile, food, fashion, retailing, fmcg, consulting etc.

Holding an MBA degree in International Business he has more than 25 years of international experience in Strategic Planning, Supply Chain Management, Warehouse Operations, Project Management, Systems Planning, Distribution, Logistics and Cost Management in the Electronics, Automobile, Refrigeration, Fashion, Textiles and Retail Sectors.

Many of our clients are internationally renowned brands including Honeywell, Pepsico, Coke, TBEA, Crompton Greaves, Yokohama Tyres,Mc Cain Foods, Barista-Lavazza. Indianbrands – Flipkart, Luminous, ,Pepperfry, EurekaForbes, Superhouse, Sudhir Gensets, Tata Sky, and SheeRenuka Sugars.

Powered by cutting-edge technology, we ensure that the clients transport, storage requirements and inventory management needs are met while providing real-time visibility at all levels to help them control their logistics costs, stock levels, streamline purchases and improve their order cycle time.

In order to retain our current level of success and build upon it, we are always attentive to the individual needs of our clients, understanding that each customer is unique and striving to develop a solution categorically customised to their specific requirements. As such we are able to deliver quality solutions that match the client’s expectations and meet their needs. Our overall aim is to consolidate the best of industry leading logistic services under one roof. To achieve this we monitor the industry changes and work with our clients to arrive at practical, tailor made solutions. We constantly keep updating our customers with the industry changes and highlight how these can be best fitted to their existing operational model. We also strive to bring in more transparency and visibility in logistics business, thereby bringing down unnecessary costs. This enhanced client service, increased visibility and reduction in cost redundancy have increased the confidence of our customers and helped us to obtain our current industry leading position. Ultimately the core strength of our company is our strong, dedicated and well experienced team. We have people with strong analytical ability, who are self-driven, passionate, eager to learn and with a strong sense of commitment to customer needs. The major attributes that we look for in our staff are communication skills, showing initiative/ taking responsibility, flexibility, teamwork, and analytical thinking. Each employee of our firm is driven by the motto “customer satisfaction is our actual reward”. Therefore we are able to provide excellent services to our global customers, meeting and exceeding their global supply chain needs through unparalleled commitment on quality. Looking ahead, the future in this industry requires a flexible supply chain that meets consumer’s requirements at multiple locations, with multiple transport modes at different times. We have developed a worldwide agent network, as well as advanced technological solutions to adapt easily to growing complexity and dynamism of supply chains. We have forayed into Project Imports and have successfully completed our first project import involving break bulk, heavy machinery. Therefore moving forward we will be competing with the best logistics providers worldwide, providing end to end logistics solutions with ease for increasingly larger projects.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 9


GM16020

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016

Best Niche Immigration Firm 2016 - UK

Ferguson Snell Ferguson Snell and Associates are a leading boutique immigration firm. We spoke to Tony Butterworth, Head of UK Immigration at the firm and Irene Boccardo, the company’s Global Immigration Manager, to gain an insight into the company and how its rich history impacts on every aspect of their work.

10 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016


Established in 1985, Ferguson Snell and Associates is among the UK’s longest running boutique immigration firms. The firm’s founders, both former immigration officers, saw a gap in the market for providing quality corporate immigration services. Tony Butterworth, Head of UK Immigration, explains how the firm’s service offering has expanded since inception and how Ferguson Snell’s dedication to quality shapes everything the firm does. “Our work is predominantly corporate, serving Tier 2, blue chip organisations such as magic circle law firms, oil & gas, technology and financial institutions & service providers. In addition, we also support high net worth individuals, mainly investors and entrepreneurs. “Another key distinguishing factor is the fact that we provide a client oriented service, priding ourselves on being responsive and supportive, as well as ensuring that only the most appropriate staff are assigned to each case. We aim to act as a partner for all our clients, rather than be just a service provider. This differentiates us from many of our competitors.” Irene Boccardo runs the firm’s Global Immigration department, which was created two years ago to keep up with clients’ ever evolving requirements and the increasingly global outlook of the corporate market. She explains how her department supports clients with their immigration requirements on an international level. “Our Global Immigration department meets the needs of clients who are not just looking to travel to the UK, but are also looking to move themselves and their staff out of the UK into other countries. We operate a global network, ensuring that we are able to meet client’s needs wherever in the world it is they are looking to travel.” Ferguson Snell & Associates, part of CSC, Forum House, 1st Floor, 15-18 Lime Street, London EC3M 7AN Phone: +44 (0) 20 3668 2700 Fax: +44 (0) 0207 621 0828 Email: comms@fergusonsnell.co.uk Website: www.fergusonsnell.com Irene Boccardo Email: ireneb@fergusonsnell.co.uk Tony Butterworth Email: tonyb@fergusonsnell.co.uk

Within the immigration industry there are currently a number of challenges which are affecting the way firms such as Ferguson Snell operate, as Tony outlines. “There are a number of challenges within our market currently, particularly with regards to the UK Government’s immigration policies. As the Government attempts to lower the number of people entering the UK, we have to adapt around regular policy changes and increasingly tight regulations”. “Additionally, the upcoming Brexit referendum is leaving the industry in a very uncertain position. Although we cannot tell what will happen, either way the country votes will have an impact on the UK immigration sector.” Irene adds that if the UK votes to leave the EU it could have implications on a vast array of citizens. “If Britain leaves Europe, there would be implications not just for those looking to enter the UK, but also those looking to travel to European countries and those EU citizens who are already living in the UK, who potentially become subject to UK immigration policy. Only time will tell what will happen but whatever happens it will drastically affect our industry.” In order to keep up with the ever changing needs of their corporate clients, Ferguson Snell & Associates operate a number of internal technology systems which ensure that clients are kept up to date on immigration issues affecting them, such as the date of expiration for visas or any changes in policy. By maintaining an upto-date client focused system, the firm is able to stay at the forefront of emerging developments in their highly competitive and constantly changing industry, whilst ensuring that they remain entirely compliant with all of the Intellectual Property and confidentially laws. Despite the uncertainty that currently prevails in the industry, overall the future will be an exciting time for Ferguson Snell & Associates. Tony feels that the firm has more success still to come and explains how the company will adapt in order to ensure it continues to meet client needs moving forward. “Ultimately the sky is the limit, and we are keen to capitalise on our current success and continue to expand the firm while meeting our clients’ high service levels. International immigration services are the way forward, so we are eager to expand our Global Immigration team and become a one-stop-shop for clients looking for immigration services both to and from the UK.” Maintaining the firm’s current high standards is also a vital aim for the future, according to Irene. “In the future we will continue to offer our signature quality of service, whilst expanding our global network so that we can offer clients support in more countries and jurisdictions. Our focus is on emerging markets, because as these regions expand they will become targets for businesses to move into, and we are keen to support this. We visit conferences around the world in order to develop our international presence and grow our network, and are poised to gain a great deal of experience and knowledge in the coming months and years.”

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 11


GM16021

12 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016


Best Multi-Freight Service Provider - China

Infinity Cargo Express Limited Infinity Cargo Express Limited is a multi-freight service provider offering a range of comprehensive services supported by a well-connected network over the world to ensure a total freight solution which is both cost effective and efficient. We profile the firm to explore its range of services further.

Company: Infinity Cargo Express Limited Phone: +852 2406 0820 Fax: +852 2406 1330 Website: http://www.infinitycargo.com

Established in 1999 Infinity Cargo quickly became one of the dominant freight forwarders to and from the USA, Europe, Australia and New Zealand markets. Since inception the firm has grown significantly year on year, and in order to support its ever expanding operations has opened branches in main gateways of China -Shanghai, Ningbo, Beijing, Qingdao, Dalian, Tianjin, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The firm’s leadership comprises of an experienced and dedicated management team which provides clients with versatility and broad industry experience. The firm offers global airfreight and sea freight forwarding services, warehousing, transportation, door to door, tailor-made pick and pack programs and integrated third-party logistics management. Infinity has implemented the most advanced technology available to provide its customers and partners with superior and extended services. This technology exchanges data in real time with the firm’s agents, customers and other partners to ensure that the firm can make the most accurate and up to date information available to all. Alongside this, Infinity runs ediEnterprise, the world’s leading Freight Management System, from CargoWise to manage its entire operations for air, sea and land freight. The ediEnterprise system provides a total global freight solution to manage bookings, local cartage, transport and shipping management, customs, warehousing and more. A key strategy for the firm is to oversee all components of its routing and service lines, allowing the firm to consistently exceed both client’s and partner’s expectations. This strategy has proved successful in recent years, and the firm have experienced significant growth over during this time and continues to expand its operations. In order to assure clients of their specialist knowledge and dedication, the firm is a member of a number of industry organisations including HAFFA, IATA and CILLA. Looking to the future, the firm is constantly searching for new regions to expand into in order to better support its ever evolving and growing operations.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 13


GM16012

14 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016


Best Young Start-Up Logistics Firm - Singapore

JAG Logistics Pte Ltd JAG Logistics is an accredited member of the Singapore Logistics Association and the firm’s Owner & CEO Jagwinder Singh is a qualified Chartered Member in The Institute of Logistics and Transport (CMILT) in Singapore, providing dedicated logistics services throughout the region. We invited Jagwinder to talk us through the company and the services it provides. JAG Logistics Pte Ltd is a total logistics services provider, with the ability to offer a wide spectrum of in-house services, effectively reducing overhead and in turn providing our customers with competitive rates with personalised customer service. Our logistics team handles all operations in Singapore and comprises of a team of experienced professionals and committed operations personnel. We pride ourselves on being reliable and are able to cater to our clients’ specific needs by tapping into our wide network of service partners in the region.

Company: JAG Logistics Pte Ltd Address: JAG Corporate & Operations Facility 10 CHANGI SOUTH LANE, # 01-03, OSSIA Building. SINGAPORE 486162 Phone: +65 6385 9577 Fax: +65 6385 9433 Email: info@jag-group.com.sg Website: http://www.jag-group.com.sg/

Our vast service offering includes warehousing, bonded facilities, transportation, distribution, ship spares management and contract logistics, and this ability to meet any need makes our firm a one stop shop for clients, enabling easier communication and great cost efficiency. JAG’s latest foray in providing Marine Logistics support services for reputable large Cruise Ships plying this route at both the Singapore & Marin Bay Cruise Centres as well as attending to dry docks requirements 24/7, provides us an edge on these specialised project deliverables. With our mission to be client centric at all times, and offer the services they require to the highest possible standard, we are clearly are a service provider with a difference and pride ourselves on being unique despite working in a highly competitive market. We operate a ‘no job too small’ attitude, and are willing to take on any project a client may have in providing trusted logistics solutions to any assignment. Personally, I have been working within this industry at Senior Management level for 25 years in both private and civil service appointments, and therefore have a great deal of experience from both Shipping & Aviation sectors that allows me to draw on extensively when working on any project. In addition to my own expertise, we always ensure that all of JAG’s staff are operating at the highest possible level, and offer them constant training and support in order to help them achieve this. JAG is fast tracked to exponentially achieve market penetration in the local logistics scene in a short period whilst in parallel it establishes niche areas of specialisation with emphasis on AOG & SHIP Spares critical cargo one stop management from our Operations facility running round the clock in the Changi International Business Park zone and a stone’s throw away from Singapore EXPO. JAG is investing heavily in technology in warehouse, operations and information management systems providing easy web based job track and trace; in turn increasing the accuracy, transparency, productivity, and control of real time operations. Moving forward, our vision for the future of JAG Logistics is building on our network collaborations for global presence in order to ensure clients benefit from an integrated, reliable service. As we further expand on accreditations and global network, be responsive to economic challenges and adaptive to the industry advancements; we are able to assure clients of our excellence and ability to provide them with a cost effective, timely service which meets their various needs and exceeds their expectations. Despite this growth strategy we will endeavour to ensure that services deliverables remain best and continue to focus on meeting our clients’ evolving needs with priority, in turn building long term reliable relationships.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 15


GM16017 Steven Bostock / Shutterstock.com

16 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016


Best New Immigration Consultancy - New Zealand

Just Immigration Consulting Limited Company: Just Immigration Consulting Limited Name: Scott Game Email: info@jicl.co.nz Web Address: www.jicl.co.nz Address: Level 31, Vero Centre, 48 Shortland Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand Telephone: +64 (9) 357-5068

Just Immigration Consulting Limited is dedicated to providing clients with a high standard of professional immigration advice. Scott Game provided us with a unique overview of the firm and the immigration industry in New Zealand currently. Just Immigration Consulting is an immigration advisory company specialising in New Zealand Immigration law. We have clients from all over the world, and although we deal with a wide variety of cases we predominantly specialise in permanent residence, work, study and visitor visas. When undertaking a new client we conduct full pre-assessments and interviews to ensure that we have their full details and history, allowing us to discover more than one option to their immigration needs. Quite often clients do not know what the best pathway for them is and it is our job to put them on the right track through our processes. Within our industry, net migration to New Zealand has been on the rise every month for almost two years with more than 67,619 new permanent residence and long term arrivals in New Zealand since 1 April 2015. These figures show opportunity in the market place as well as challenges around making new arrivals to New Zealand feel comfortable, settled and part of the community. This market growth has made our industry incredibly competitive, and as such we work hard to ensure that we stand out from other firms in the industry. As a company we put our customers first, and unlike most of our competitors we will meet with our clients face to face wherever they want to, in order to ensure that they feel supported throughout the process. Basically if our client wants to meet in our office, at home, in a cafĂŠ, in the morning, afternoon or evening we will be there. Moreover, whenever a client comes into our office they are greeted by our friendly reception team and looked after from start to finish. Ultimately, honesty and integrity is what we pride ourselves on, and we will always give our clients the best options and the best service. As our work revolves around the law and regulations our team regularly attends conferences and seminars on industry law and practice. Additionally, we always ensure we keep abreast of any new changes to current laws and regulations through research and Immigration New Zealand Amendment Circulars, ensuring that our clients receive complete and up to date advice which meets their needs their immigration needs. Moving forward, we have a number of exciting growth strategies for the future which will provide us with expansion opportunities. Our two key projects revolve around international growth, in India and China. Both these projects are currently in the early stages of development but are key to the growth and development of the firm. In addition, as our market becomes increasingly global we are keen to adapt our technology, making it both more robust and secure enabling us to be able to offer our services to more clients around the world. These technological developments are particularly vital as Immigration New Zealand has recently moved to an online system allowing clients and advisers to apply for visa applications online. As such and to ensure we are able to use this new facility, our company invests time in ensuring our infrastructure can handle the pressures of uploading and filing applications and documents requests.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 17


GM16001

18 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016


Immigration & Nationality Attorney of the Year - California

Law Offices Of James A. Bach Law Offices of James A. Bach represents both corporations and individuals in all aspects of immigration law, and is dedicated to providing the highest level of service and personal attention to each of their clients. We invited James Bach to provide us with an insight into his company and the services it provides. Name: James A. Bach Company: Law Offices of James A. Bach Email: info@immilaw.com Web Address: www.immilaw.com Address: The Shell Building, 100 Bush Street, 19th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104, USA Telephone: (001) 415-248-3100

Located in the heart of the San Francisco Financial District, the A/V rated immigration Law Offices of James A. Bach has decades of experience providing a wide range of trusted legal services including H-1B visas, labour certifications, EB-1 petitions, as well as the entire range of employment and family-based immigration solutions. The firm is a boutique that provides a very high level of service to our clients, drawing on expertise that has been developed over several decades. These clients are primarily international businesses, predominantly technology companies. We also represent investors and businesses that wish to expand to the U.S., and move key owners, managers, and professional employees to the U.S. to staff U.S. operations. We represent both corporations and individuals in all aspects of immigration law, and are dedicated to providing the highest level of service and personal attention to each of our clients. Our aim is to provide our clients with speed, service, and success in achieving their U.S. immigration goals. We return emails and phone calls within hours, in order to be constantly accessible to clients and fully support them throughout the legal process. It is our attention to detail, along with our strong client service, that ensures that a very high level of success. Looking ahead to the future, our challenge is to continue to provide exceptional service to our existing and new clients, while resisting the temptation to grow beyond our core strengths. Growth is a key factor in any business, but it must be done in a way that preserves the efficiency, expertise, and high level of service that has made our firm what it is today.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 19


GM16029

20 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016


Best for Business Immigration 2016 - Portugal

Lugna Company: Lugna Name: Duarte Ornelas Monteiro Email: lisbon@lugna.pt Web Address: www.lugna.pt Address: Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca 9 - 3ºB 1250-189 Lisboa Portugal Telephone: +351 21 131 04 08

Lugna is a boutique firm with an international presence delivering, on a daily basis, a premium, value-added service to clients with business interests located throughout the globe. We invited Duarte Ornelas Monteiro to talk us through the firm and the work it does. Lugna specialises in advising on inbound and outbound migration to and from Portuguese speaking countries. Through our Global Mobility department, we also provide Business Immigration (Golden Visa) services and also manage the secondment policy of several Portuguese and foreign companies by advising on Immigration, Tax or Social Security matters. Thus, clients of this department include HNWIs, expatriates, seconded employees and other firms from several jurisdictions. Also within the immigration sector we advise on Portuguese citizenship for foreign citizens of Sephardic Jewish ancestry, according to a regime which has been in force since 2015. Due to the diverse nature of our clients, immigration related work usually requires input from other departments advising on investment and corporate structuring, commercial contracts, business model optimization, family law and tax. The team’s solid reputation regarding technical aspects and a strict confidentiality policy translated into several international awards for excellence in handling taxation matters. As the firm handles cross-border and jurisdiction-specific issues and has a deep understanding of the practical, political and social attitudes towards business in Portuguese speaking jurisdictions. Knowing the client’s background and objectives is key to advising on the best solutions for any immigration project, especially for international families. Also, team members travel extensively to meet our clients and implement the solutions designed at the office in order to ensure our clients receive the best possible outcome. Over the last decade, Portugal has become a prime location for direct foreign investment, do business and for high net worth individuals to live in. The immigration industry for HNWI revolves around the Golden Visa, an investment residency permit that allows its holders to live in Portugal as long as they like and move within the Schengen area, and around the non-habitual residency regime, providing lower tax rates and comprehensive tax exemptions for new inbounds. Flexibility is also part of the appeal of this residency scheme, because stay requirements are limited to seven days per year during the first year and as few as 14 days in the following two-year period. A wide range of eligible investments ranging from EUR 200.000 to EUR 1.000.000 is available and this visa leads to permanent residency after 5 years and may lead to Portuguese citizenship. As such we have seen a vast influx in work, as clients look towards Portugal as a viable region to do business in. In order to meet the ever evolving demands of our growing client base Lugna has made a significant investment in technology to allow mobility and centralization of decisions and dissemination of information. All client communications can be instantaneous during critical, stressful phases of emergency response situations to ensure that we operate efficiently. Overall it is our ultimate aim to provide the highest possible quality of service which meets our clients’ needs. We provide a global service to clients and cover all aspects of relocation and citizenship and distance ourselves from other firm’s traditional insular approach to projects where information is partitioned. We work each case with the utmost discretion, and as such one of the traits prized in our staff is reliability as well as entrepreneurial instinct, which allows us to identify business opportunities for clients and enable them to make better decisions and better support our clients.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 21


GM16033

22 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016


Best Immigration Solutions Company 2016 - South

My G Ltd My G Ltd is an immigration law specialist, offering a range of services to both private and business clients. We speak to Marc Gibson to find out more about the firm and how it has evolved to better meet industry needs.

Company: My G Ltd Phone: +44 (0)1373 301194 Email: m.gibson@visaworkpermits.co.uk Address: 27 Chalford, Westbury, Wiltshire, BA13 3RG Website: http://www.visaworkpermits.com

My G Ltd was established in 2006 and originally operated as a specialist recruitment firm, supporting nursing and healthcare staff in moving to the UK for work. However, following the introduction of the points based system, which was incorporated between 2008 and 2010, I saw a gap in the market for providing small businesses with immigration solutions. As such the firm, in which I am sole practitioner, was restructured and now supports small businesses ranging from 5 to 200 employees with support with many aspects of their immigration needs, including sponsorship licensing support, visa application services and even support with their overall HR requirements to ensure that they are always fully compliant with the law. Since I have restructured the business many of my business clients work in the technology sector, and include IT firms, technology specialists and management consultancy firms. Additionally, I also undertake some private client work, primarily supporting visa applications, both entry clearance and leave to remain. As a small firm myself I am able to offer my clients a truly personalised service which exactly meets their needs, and I add value to my service offering by providing each client with a complimentary initial consultation, in which we discuss what they are looking for and I highlight my expertise and why I feel I would be the best person to take their case. Despite the fact that not everyone who receives a free consultation ends up working with me, I feel this is a great opportunity to share my expertise and support my community. I also work throughout my local area supporting small businesses such as restaurants, which may be below the radar of larger immigration firms but are often regularly checked by UK Visa & Immigration, and may not know of their responsibilities as an employer. I provide them with regular information on the legal industry and their responsibilities through my website as well as sending out regular newsletters and circular. Offering this advice is a great way to support clients and potential clients, but it is also a big responsibility as I need to ensure that I am always up to date with the latest news and information on the industry so that I never misadvise anyone inadvertently. Therefore, this is a responsibility I take very seriously, and gain undertake courses and subscribe to updates from a number of relevant sources, including the Open University, the Immigration Law Practitioner’s Association (of which I am a member) and the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner. Many of these organisations offer continuous professional development schemes which I undertake in order to ensure I am working at the very best of my abilities, ensuring that my clients get the very best service when they work with me. Moving forward I am keen to keep the business at the same size, as this benefits both myself and my clients, allowing me to focus on very specific niche areas and gain more valuable experience that will better support them. As such I am eager to continue providing a quality, specialist service to my clients and look forward to the challenges that working in this ever evolving market will bring in the years to come.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 23


GM16028

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016

Best Global Visa & Immigration Law Boutique - USA & Best-in-Class Global Immigration - USA

Pro-Link GLOBAL

Pro-Link GLOBAL is the world’s leading corporate global immigration provider, with more than 1,800 professionals operating in over 170 key destinations worldwide. Founder and CEO Andrea Elliott talks us through the techniques the firm employs to provide customized comprehensive immigration services to its clients with the highest possible quality of service.

24 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016


Established in 2005, Pro-Link GLOBAL is a woman-owned company specialising in providing concierge-level, customized immigration strategy for multinational corporations. As such we work with a range of clients, primarily multinational companies operating in a vast array of industries including defence contractors, manufacturing, communications, security systems, aviation, relocation, computer software and hardware, agricultural and dairy, contract research organization (CRO), drug development, healthcare, pharmaceutical development. We provide our clients with services such as global work permits, document services, passport and business visas, compliance consulting and audit representation, among others. We have a truly global reach, with over 1,800 professionals operating in over 170 key destinations worldwide. Within the global immigration industry we are innovators and trailblazers, offering a range of pioneering technological solutions to support our clients. For example, our Global Immigration Management System has a state-of-the-art security system that ensures data is never compromised. Protection, availability and privacy of our client’s data is crucial to the operation of our business. Our system devotes a significant amount of resources solely toward developing new techniques to counter viruses, worms and hackers. We provide the most secure data protection system on the market. All data is 256-bit SSL encrypted in transit and at rest. Company: Pro-Link GLOBAL Name: Andrea Elliott Email: sandi.seaman@pro-linkglobal.com Web Address: http://pro-linkglobal.com/ Address: 1813 Manatee Avenue West Bradenton, FL USA Telephone: +1 941-794-6461

Our main function is to keep our clients compliant with all aspects of immigration-related regulations and laws while ensuring the process runs smoothly every time. Our system oversees the immigration process in both the home and the host country. All necessary documents are obtained thereby eliminating the risk of non-compliance. Our clients are able to run reports 24-hours a day 7-days a week. All immigration status documents are tracked 100%. Automatic ticklers notify the immigration team of upcoming expirations of immigration status documents. We set the ticklers based on country and location to ensure a timely notification to our clients. We provide our clients monthly reports that indicate all upcoming expirations in the coming six months. Another key service we offer is Visa-LINK, an online external visa tool, offered free of charge to our clients, enabling visa assessment with immediate response, based on current visa regulations that is maintained and updated daily to ensure complete accuracy. The service is also offered in an extended form, Travel-LINK, which is a mobile web-based application designed for use on any tool including iPad, Android, Blackberry and iPhone. The app is available for a licensing fee, and includes the features of Visa-LINK with a number of additional capabilities, including the ability to determine if an employee needs a Work Permit or Visa. Additionally, the system will track the employee’s days in country. The program proactively mitigates immigration compliance risks associated with international cross-border travellers. All of these technological offerings are designed to better support our clients, and this approach extends beyond our service offering into our corporate culture. We use ‘Follow the Sun’ methodology to provide 24/7 case processing, ensuring clients are never without support. The process involves all team members accessing client specific case notes in the same data platform, therefore should an issue arise after hours in APAC, an EMEA manager would be able to immediately provide support, thus providing seamless assistance. Our truly global working style encourages our diverse employees to collaborate across borders to meet our clients’ needs. Every Pro-Link GLOBAL employee is focused entirely on the assignee and provides them with concierge-level service and support. Since many of our employees are former expats, they are able to relate and connect with the assignee and their families on a personal level, which facilitates a smooth, relaxed relocation experience. Looking to the future, we are keen to expand as a business and have just purchased the land adjacent to our world headquarters in Bradenton, Florida USA. We plan to build an extension to our current office building to create a larger office with space for more employees. Globally we are also keen to grow in the Asia Pacific region, which we see as a key growth area. At the beginning of this year we opened a new office in Australia, and moving forward we are eager to capitalise on the opportunities this new venture will bring.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 25


GM16013

26 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016


Best Immigration Team 2016

Residency Bond Program Ltd. Company: Residency Bond Program Ltd Name: Laszlo Gaal Email: l.gaal@residency-bond.eu Website: http://www.residency-bond.eu Address: Alvinci u 17, 1022 Budapest, Hungary Telephone: +36 1 700 4330

Residency Bond Program Ltd is a leading independent service provider in the prospering field of business and investor immigration. Laszlo Gaal provides a unique overview of the firm and the services it provides. Residency Bond Program mainly focuses on business people and investors who want to find new opportunities in Europe. There are several reasons why people from all around the world want to move to the European Union: • Investors are mainly attracted by Europe’s stability and the variety of investment opportunities • Business people want access to Europe’s free, single market – the world’s biggest economy • People may wish to move to a peaceful, healthy environment with a high standard of living. We find that many people are looking to enhance their lifestyle by living in Europe. The lifestyle advantages include better access to essential services such as health care and education, as well as the natural environment, well-developed infrastructure, cultural facilities and the like. Safety and security are also important factors in lifestyle decisions. Citizenship and residency through investment programs offer a route of legal access to Europe, relatively quickly and simply, without significant disruption to the clients’ life. As pioneers, we have been concerned with the Hungarian Residency Bond Program from the first moment, since its very inception. This program offers Hungarian permanent residency under preferential conditions for non-EU nationals willing to invest in government residency bonds. We have carefully studied all the citizenship programs and finally selected the very best. We seek to help our clients find a citizenship opportunity that best suits their needs. We are well aware, that the biggest migratory wave of the last 70 years has put Europe and the Schengen treaty under great pressure, and the terror in Paris and Brussels has only increased the crisis. These developments may confuse potential investors, so we need to face these new challenges and provide guidance and support at all times. Ultimately we are dedicated to working together with a leading and internationally recognized law firm as our strategic partner so that experienced immigration lawyers will advise our international clients and handle their applications, ensuring they receive the very best service. Our expert team is highly motivated to meet clients’ needs and expectations to the very highest standards. We provide them with a full scope and all-inclusive personal assistance.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 27


GM16024

28 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016


Best Work Visa Agents 2016 - Australia

Sirus Migration Sirus Migration Agents and Immigration Lawyers Australia are specialists in study, skilled, business, work and family visas. We caught up with Lakmal Isuru Yapa to find out more. Here at Sirus Migration the majority of our work involves Australian employer nominated skilled work visas. Our clients include both the employers and the employees, including businesses operating across a wide range of industries, including IT, restaurant and hospitality, mining, engineering, primary health care and resources. Company: Sirus Migration Name: Lakmal Isuru Yapa Email: Isuru@sirus.com.au Web Address: www.sirus.com.au Address: Level 9, 300 Adelaide St, Brisbane Telephone: +61 7 3361 8177

As a firm we have a wide range of experienced Immigration Lawyers and Migration Agents working with us. Our agents also have different back grounds and can speak a number of languages to better support our clients, ensuring that we offer the very best level of service at all times. Through the experience we have gained dealing with a vast array of people and businesses, we have learned that it is critical to grasp an understanding of all facets of our client’s lives, including their culture, profession and the industry in which they operate. We find this is a critical foundation that we are then able to use as a starting point to achieve the migration results necessary for the skilled worker and for the employer to continue business as usual. As such when undertaking a new project or working with a new client we work hard to understand their needs. Our initial consultations can be face-to-face, but given that our business reaches around the world we often rely on telephone and video conferences to transcend international borders in order to give clients initial advice. Technology plays a major role in our work and we focus heavily on keeping up to date with the latest developments in order to better support our clients. Even before the client walks through the door we rely on it for marketing and leads, and generating brand awareness. Our website is interactive in that potential clients are able to chat on-line with one of our consultants, email through initial enquiries and complete free visa assessment applications. Additionally email is the primary source of communication between clients, the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection, various government bodies and authorities, and other stakeholders. This technology is also vital to ensuring that we stay on top of the latest developments in our industry to ensure that we are able to offer our clients the most up to date service possible. Daily we rely on an online professional library to keep abreast of immigration legislation, policy and case law, and the internet to lodge various visa applications. To put it simply, we would be lost without technology and it would be impossible to achieve the high level of work we do without it. Staying up to date is of vital importance, and therefore we do not exclusively rely on our online library. Our firm also has professional membership with Migration Alliance and Migration Institute of Australia who regularly release legislative changes and up-to-date news. Furthermore, staff are encouraged to attend Continued Professional Development training and networking opportunities so that they are offering our clients the best advice and support. This is key as we pride ourselves on client care and technical knowledge. A value that is paramount to our business is applying the latest law to the particular circumstances of our client, both in a traditional and innovative manner of practice. This allows us to think outside of the square in the context of our clients, and avoid the risk of becoming boxed in by a black and white interpretation of the law and migration practice. Recently we have set up a company culture and IT platform that allows our staff to deal with clients from all corners of the world, so continued expansion nationally and internationally is a definite goal for our firm moving forward.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 29


GM16016

30 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016


Best for Visa Applications 2016 - Western Australia

Tang Legal Company: Tang Legal Name: Kelvin Tang Email: KelvinTang@TangLegal.com.au Web Address: www.TangLegal.com.au Address: 2/191 James Street, Northbridge, Western Australia, 6003 Telephone: +61 8 9328 7525

Established in 2002, Tang Legal is a law practice based in Perth, Western Australia. We spoke to Kelvin Tang, the firm’s Principal Partner about the practice’s dedication to providing quality legal services to its clients.

Here at Tang Legal our primary focuses are commercial law, civil litigation, migration law, family law, wills and estates, and property conveyancing. These services are provided to a wide range of corporate and individual clients, and within migration our focus is on business and investment migration, and therefore we work with a number of high net worth clients. Currently the legal industry is increasingly competitive, and as such firms now need to step outside the conventional way of doing things and be innovative. Consumers now have many choices. We recognised the need to innovate to add-value to clients and be client-focused. We have changed the way we practice by focusing on our core areas of practice so that we can focus on what we do best and provide cost efficiency and quality services for our clients. Additionally, our firm stands out from our competitors as we are multi-lingual (English and Chinese) and understand both the Western and Asian business culture. Australia has very close economic ties with China and countries in the Asia region. Being one of the few truly multilingual firms that focus on commercial and migration law, we have a clear advantage and are exposed to a number of unique markets. Ultimately we focus on providing our clients with certainty. They always know that we have the technical skills and experience to effectively handle their matter, and we will provide you with the scope of work we will undertake for you, and we have a “no surprise” policy when it comes to our fees, giving full disclosure of all costs. Looking ahead, Tang Legal has an exciting six months ahead of us. We will be rebranding and launching our new, refreshed logo and website which is currently in the final stages of development.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 31


GM16030

32 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016


Best Immigration & Human Rights Law Firm - UK

UK Lawyers & Advocates UK Lawyers & Advocates is an immigration and human rights law firm offering superior client service. We spoke to the firm’s Principal Ghazi Rabie Hassanein El-Sayed to find out more. UK Lawyers & Advocates are an up and coming young firm with a strong success record, specialising in handling the cases that other law firms have previously lost. We started working in the Arabic community and have built up a strong following there, but have since branched out and now support clients around the world. These include high net worth individuals and entrepreneurs.

Company: UK Lawyers & Advocates Name: Ghazi Rabie Hassanein El-Sayed Tel: 07898 944588 Email: ukla1@outlook.com Address: 408B Cumberland House, London, NW10 6RF

Our role is to support them in getting their visa, permanent residence and citizenship as well as passports, helping them to ensure that all of their paperwork is correct so that they can work and live in the UK. We frequently take on cases that have been refused when our clients have been represented previously by other law firms and have succeeded in winning their case for them either by making new applications or appealing before a Judge. It is our superior staff that help us to differentiate ourselves from our competitors. I personally have over 16 years’ experience in the immigration law industry. Because we focus exclusively on this area all of our staff are dedicated to supporting clients, and have a thorough understanding of the market we are operating in. It is our high success rate and our accreditation from both of the two major immigration institutions in the UK - The Law Society and the OISC that has led our firm to the success it enjoys today. We have won a number of awards, both from industry recognised publications and from the Arabic community, highlighting how our dedication to supporting our clients has paid off. This support includes arranging face to face meetings with clients and going above and beyond to ensure that we tailor our services to meet their needs. Because we are a small law firm, all our clients are represented by a one lawyer from the beginning to end rather than having different caseworkers as well as multiple departments dealing with their cases. This allows us to focus more attention on our clients, and ultimately, making sure we get the best possible result for them. We believe this makes us stand out from our competitors as our clients are able to form a relationship with their representative, thus fuelling our passion to secure them the best possible outcome. This is because ultimately some firms, which see themselves purely as service providers, we pride ourselves on winning cases even the toughest cases. We also pride ourselves on honesty, so rather than pursuing a course of action which may not benefit the client, we will communicate with them on how best to proceed if we reach an impasse. Our strategy has been particularly vital in recent years, as we have noticed that government sanctions have been getting progressively tougher and the immigration process is becoming increasingly difficult. However, our high success rate emphasises our commitment to finding a way no matter how dire the situation may seem. As such we regularly receive recommendations from clients and are inundated with requests for support. Therefore, moving forward our focus will be on expanding as a business and taking on new staff in order to serve our growing client base. At the same time we are keen to continue offering the high quality services that have made our firm the industry leading success it is today. We would like to expand into new communities and countries in the future and believe this growth strategy is the way to achieve this.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 33


GM16005

34 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016


Best Immigration Law Firm 2016 - UK

YDVISAS YDVISAS is a leading firm of Immigration lawyers specialising in all aspects of United Kingdom Immigration and Nationality Laws. We invited Yash Dubal, the firm’s Director, to provide us with an overview of the company and the means by which it endeavours to provide every client with the best possible service. Here at YDVISAS we are known for client focused service, honesty, candid attitude, and ‘In it to win it’ approach. We aim to achieve 100% success for each UK immigration application, which we work towards by being specialist in all aspects of United Kingdom Immigration and Nationality Laws. We offer comprehensive services for corporate and individual clients, and our primary clientele consists of companies, professionals and skilled migrants. As such we deal with almost all types of UK Immigration applications, including Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 4, Tier 5, ILR, Spouse Visa, Sole Representative Visa, Appeal, Administrative Review, Nationality, European Union Law and Human Rights. Company: YDVISAS Name: Yash Dubal Email: yash@ydvisas.com Web Address: www.ydvisas.com Address: 2nd Floor, South Wing, Chancery House, 53-64 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1QS. Telephone: +44 (0)20 7404 7933

In addition, our extensive experience and in-depth knowledge in managing Tier 2 sponsor licence matters (new applications, renewals, suspension and revocation) has enabled us to become one of the best corporate immigration firms providing solutions tailored for IT service, retail, E-commerce and the sports industries. Since we are known for our client focused service, the first step we take when working on a new project or with a new client is always to ensure that their requirements are clearly understood. Our highly experience and motivated team are dedicated to ensuring a favourable outcome for the client. We are always completely transparent with our clients, sharing information and establishing fixed fees with no hidden charges. Since our entire team holds the same values, we hold each other accountable to ensure that every case receives the best outcome possible, and we always inform the client should any complications mean that their application is unlikely to be successful. Alongside our strong client focused approach we know that an important part of our success requires that we keep up-to-date with all developments within the legal industry. As such our firm is committed to remaining up to date with our personal development, which helps each of us to track our skills, knowledge, training, and experience and ensure that it is at the best possible level. In order to ensure that staff are always equipped for this personal development we have an in house library equipped with the latest books, manuals, and magazines related to immigration law, as well as subscriptions to Free Movement, EIN (Electronic Immigration Network) and other information sharing platforms that help us keep current with the latest developments in the immigration industry. Alongside this vast array of resources we also receive subscribed newsletters from UKVI which help us to stay informed of the latest immigration policies. This information is put to good use, and we are always looking for ways to enrich the wider industry’s knowledge. We are happy to share our expertise by providing blogs and keeping all the stakeholders informed of the latest developments. Looking ahead to the future, we are facing a high demand for our services and are constantly receiving new inquiries. As our case load has grown significantly, we have been exploring ways to continue to meet demand without sacrificing the quality service which is our company’s hallmark. We feel strongly that we should now introduce a franchise model, as this provides us with the option to expand our team in the most efficient manner possible, ensuring that our firm’s signature standards remain intact. In addition, we are introducing a new service ‘Citizenship by investment’. This will help high net worth individuals to obtain second citizenship which will enable them to achieve more freedom of travel , better healthcare and lifestyle for themselves with full family.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 35


GM16002

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-global-mobility-immigration-2016

Award for Excellence in Investment Immigration - UK

YingDe Lawyers Limited

36 / Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016


YINGDE LAWYERS

With over ten years of experience in immigration assistance, YingDe lawyers is dedicated to serving the Chinese community in the UK and China with immigration advice. We invited Co-Founder Yang Lu to talk us through the company and the dedicated services it provides. At YingDe, we provide immigration assistance to Chinese investors looking to invest in British businesses via the Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa scheme. Chinese investors often find it difficult to break into the UK market, not only due to their inexperience with investing outside of China, but also because they find the Visa application requirements provided by the Home Office are difficult to understand, and thus require our help. The practice is registered at the highest level with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner OISC, and can therefore provide material assistance in all categories of immigration work, encompassing managed migration, asylum, European applications, nationality and citizenship, appeals and bail work, and other immigration casework of a complex nature. The OISC certificate is renewed annually, and we are constantly refreshing our certifications and knowledge to ensure we are always compliant with the relevant regulations.

Company: YingDe Lawyers Ltd Name: Yang Lu (Co-founder; OISC level 3 adviser) Email: info@yingdegroup.com Web Address: www.yingdegroup.com Address: Room 703, Peter House, Oxford Street, Manchester. M1 5AN Telephone: 0044(0)161 209 3811

We understand our customers expect a high level of service. Regardless of the quality of the product or service we provide, they will not stay loyal to YingDe on a long-term basis unless we treat them properly before, during and after the sale, and as such we operate a client centred, communicative approach. This approach sees every member of our team communicate with our clients openly, so they feel their relationship with us is one of mutual trust, and we use multi-channel platforms to stay in touch with our clients, such as WeChat and Weibo as well as emails to ensure clients feel collaborated with and supported. In addition, we also conduct regular face to face meetings with clients so that we can discuss the legal process in detail. By appointing dedicated account managers we are able to provide personal services which exactly meet our clients’ individual needs. At YingDe we believe exceptional client service is about going beyond what is realistically expected of us. It is about surprising and delighting customers, turning them into enthusiastic referral sources and loyal clients who continually work with us not only because we do excellent work at a fair price, but because the value YingDe brings to them goes far beyond our professional services. Alongside providing this high quality service, our firm also has the advantage that, unlike many law offices that specialise in supporting Chinese investors, we are based in the UK. Our immigration lawyer and customer support team are Chinese native speakers and being bilingual also gives YingDe a huge language advantage compared with the UK local immigration law firms, it also enables us to understand both British and Chinese cultures. This strong cultural knowledge means that we understand that for each client, investing in British business and potentially settling in the UK are life changing decisions. Our expert immigration lawyers can provide advice, practical assistance and professional representation to guide our clients through the application and decision-making process from start to finish. Having the in-depth knowledge, experience and resources to explore all the options open to clients and taking the time to listen to the individual circumstance, we are able to fully analyse our clients’ immigration queries on a case by case basis and can provide them with the best advice possible. Aside from the legal advice that YingDe provides to its clients, YingDe also organises investment networking events on a regular basis, the events provide a transparent platform for our clients (the investors) to meet the representatives from British businesses (investees). Many of our clients found their preferred companies to invest through these networking events. We understand the importance of prompt communication when a visa application is rejected. Our team will discuss the issue with the clients, scrutinise the refusal letter and review the application supporting documents. YingDe will use its expertise to protest its clients’ legal rights and advise the best option to appeal to the Home office or lodge an administrative review. Looking to the future, we are currently planning further expansion to gain more clients from the Greater China region (especially Hong Kong, Taiwan), and the South East Asia region (Singapore, Thailand). Thailand, for instance, has maintained positive GDP growth of around 3% throughout the recent economic crises, and is currently attempting to emulate Hong Kong’s “upper middle income country to join the other top tier Asian economies,” within the next 10 years. With this in mind, there will be many more investors from Thailand looking to emigrate, or to help their children immigrate to Western countries in the near future.

Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards 2016 / 37



Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.