Nurturing employee wellbeing: Laura Devine Immigration provides strategic advice on UK and US immigration and nationality law to individuals, families, SMEs, and corporate clients

“We are comfortable investing in advanced IT products and services where they will enhance our client service and staff experience.”

Laura Devine Immigration (LDI) is an award-winning boutique immigration firm with offices in London and New York. Together the offices have been described as a ‘transatlantic powerhouse’. The partners and many associates are rated in all legal directories in the top tier for immigration. Laura Devine, Managing Partner of LDI, is the immigration correspondent for the Law Society Gazette and the author of numerous articles and books. She regularly speaks on immigration law, law firm management, and women in business.

The Silicon Review spoke to Laura. Here’s what she said.

Interview Highlights

Q. When it comes to longevity, LDI has it. I find it unique that an organization has what it takes to continue to offer services for 20 years. How did your firm continue to adapt?

LDI adapts by constantly listening to clients and continually adapting to their changing needs. The longevity of the business is assisted by the partners having worked together since the inception of the firm 20 years ago. Indeed, Sophie Barrett-Brown, head of the UK practice, and Natasha Chell, head of risk and compliance, and I were all part of a previous joint venture at Eversheds. The team moved as a unit to form LDI in 2003 and Laura Devine Attorneys (LDA) in New York in 2007. LDA is managed by Jennifer Stevens, who started at the London office in 2004. Christi Jackson re-joined the firm in 2016 to manage the US practice in London. Being small (if 60 staff in two offices is small) allows for flexibility and agility, which permits adaption to meet the needs of clients and the market. The partners are supported by many long-standing assistants and new staff, who form a dynamic team.

Q. LDI is regarded as a ‘stellar’ boutique immigration firm with a powerful transatlantic capability. What strategies did the firm implement over the years to achieve this rare feat?

We are client focused. Our business development strategy is not just dependent on what clients want now but in the future, and we adapt to their changing needs and circumstances. With client care at the core of what we do, we built a team of first-class professionals, both lawyers and support staff, to provide this top-quality advice and outstanding service. Unlike many law firms, we depend heavily on support staff to offer capabilities in the areas they are experts in, allowing the lawyers to concentrate on client service. We do not see support staff as an expense but as an investment. As for the transatlantic capability, or transatlantic powerhouse, as it has been called by legal directories, we offer UK and US immigration services in both offices in London and New York. Our New York office was established to service clients’ needs. Again, we saw this expansion overseas as an investment.

Q. What are your focus areas?

Our business has benefitted from a loyal client following with a constant flow of new clients. An important part of our business development strategy has been to remain niche, offering one product – the top-rate UK and US strategic immigration advice to corporates, SMEs, entrepreneurs, families, and individuals. We appreciate and enjoy working with other law firms who confidently recommend us to their clients, knowing that as a boutique firm, we shall provide excellent immigration advice and service and that we are not competitors.

Q. How skilled is the LDI team of attorneys? And how do they bring value to the firm?

Our lawyers are extremely skilled. LDI offices in London and New York house both US attorneys and UK solicitors, meaning that we have the notable ability to offer transatlantic services, as well as advice to clients around the globe who want to immigrate to or expand into the UK or US. We rank in the top tier for UK and US immigration across all legal directories and are recognized as ‘excellent’, ‘committed’, ‘completely dependable’, ‘a boutique firm that provides a very good quality service’, and ‘a dedicated team noted for going above and beyond to achieve success for our clients’.

Our expert, dedicated lawyers deliver strategic advice and support across all areas of the UK and US corporate and private client immigration. Whether a client is contemplating investing, setting up a new UK venture, or offering employment in a UK- or US-based business, we provide bespoke immigration guidance from the outset. Our team utilizes a holistic view to ensure we advise on the most appropriate means to meet the client's short and long-term immigration aims.

Our focus is to provide value to clients through our team of carefully selected lawyers and other professionals, with client service being at the essence of what we do. We are skilled recruiters and provide constant training to staff. We do our utmost to have a team that is collegiate, collaborative, and caring to clients and colleagues. Staff wellbeing is also a focus for us, and we have received an award for our exceptional wellbeing movement. Content and appreciated staff are more likely to provide top- level service to clients.

Q. Will LDI be expanding, bringing on any new services that we should be aware of?

We hope to expand in reputation and profitability by remaining dedicated to UK and US immigration. This boutique model has proved successful over the past 20 years and continues to drive business in recent times. In the last 12 months, we have undertaken the largest recruitment drive ever, so we are expanding in staff numbers also. We have carefully selected new staff, allocating them to teams including UK business immigration, private client and human rights, US immigration, and support staff. Our New York office is also recruiting.

Q. How do you see LDI changing in five years?

The world is more fast-moving, challenging, and unpredictable than ever and the firm continues to adapt to clients’ evolving needs. The immigration laws, too, are constantly changing, and we will remain at the cutting edge of immigration on both sides of the Atlantic and aim to retain our Tier-1 ranking. We are comfortable investing in advanced IT products and services where that will enhance our client service and staff experience.

About | Laura Devine

Laura Devine, an English solicitor and New York attorney, is the Managing Partner of LDI. She’s responsible for all UK and US matters. The firm’s client base encompasses businesses from fashion to finance. As well as advising corporations, Laura has SMEs, start-ups, families, and individuals as clients. She is dedicated to developing the business and enhancing its reputation. Staff development, care, and wellbeing are of paramount importance to her.

“The immigration laws, too, are constantly changing, and we will remain at the cutting edge of immigration on both sides of the Atlantic and aim to retain our Tier-1 ranking.”