Lisa is a partner and head of Stephens Scown’s Immigration team, specialising in all aspects of UK immigration and nationality law.
She completed her LLB Law Degree and Legal Practice Course in Bristol, before joining Stephens Scown in 2014. With nearly 10 years of experience in advising on all aspects of private and business immigration law, Lisa qualified in 2016 and is a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA).
Lisa’s varied caseload involves assisting private individuals from all over the world with applications for entry clearance, leave to remain and indefinite leave to remain under Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules, the Points Based System and non PBS categories, such as applications under the UK Ancestry Rules. This includes partners, parents, children and adult dependents of British Citizens, as well as applications for investors, innovators, skilled workers and students. Lisa has expertise and extensive experience in dealing with complex human rights cases, appeals, deportation, removal and judicial review proceedings, as well as applications for British Citizenship (registration and naturalisation). She also advises on, and prepares applications for EU nationals (and their family members) under the EU Settlement Scheme.
Aside from her personal immigration expertise, Lisa advises on and assists with a wide range of corporate immigration matters, including assisting client with sponsor licence applications, immigration compliance and due diligence, applying for and assigning certificates of sponsorship and challenging civil penalty notices. Lisa provides training to businesses on carrying out right to work checks and how to maintain their sponsor licence compliantly. As part of this assistance, Lisa and her Team are able to carry out a mock audit of your immigration records and processes to ensure that you complying with your duties and obligations as a sponsor licence holder.
Lisa is also an active part of Stephens Scown’s specialist Healthcare and Rural teams.
Recent work includes:
- Applying for entry clearance, leave to remain and indefinite leave to remain for various partners of British Citizens to enable them to live together in the UK as a family
- At the First Tier Tribunal successfully representing a British client who was attempting to overturn a decision of the Home Office to remove her elderly parents who were reliant on her for the support and care that they need
- Advising a number of EEA nationals and their family members on how they can secure their status in the UK, post Brexit
- Supporting a large local business with hundreds of EU national employees in giving their workforce the information they needed in order to submit successful applications to the EU Settlement Scheme and therefore securing their right to work in the UK
- Assisting a vulnerable victim of domestic abuse with her successful application for indefinite leave to remain following the breakdown in her marriage
- Advising and assisting various businesses on obtaining a skilled worker and/or intra company transfer sponsor licence in order to continue recruiting overseas nationals in the UK following Brexit and the end of free movement
- Assisting a client with successfully overturning a decision of the Home Office to refuse his long residence application where he had excessive absences due to a family tragedy overseas
- Assisting a vulnerable individual with applying for naturalisation as a British Citizen where he was unable to sit the English or Life in the UK tests due to mental illness and disability.
- Providing support as a Level 1 User for large businesses, assisting them in managing their sponsor licence compliantly and effectively in line with the needs of their business.
Outside of work, Lisa enjoys travelling, sport, exploring the outdoors with her puppy and spending time with her family and friends.
