Immigration Partner - Thames Valley

PT group; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 28 days

Private medical insurance

Private pension scheme

Life assurance

Cycle to work

Job summary

HCR is seeking an Immigration Partner, Legal Director, or Senior Immigration Lawyer to lead and grow its national immigration practice from Cambridge or Thames Valley. You will advise employers, education clients and other organisations on UK immigration and compliance, oversee sponsor licenses, workforce planning, and global mobility issues.

You will build client relationships, win new work through networking and thought leadership, mentor junior lawyers, and shape the strategic direction of

Qualifications

• Significant experience advising businesses on UK immigration matters.
• Strong market reputation with established network or credible plan to build one.
• Proven track record in winning, retaining and growing client relationships.
• Experience supporting clients in tech and manufacturing sectors.
• Excellent technical expertise and commercial awareness.
• Collaborative approach with mentoring mindset across teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and shape the national immigration practice.
• Advise employers, education clients and organisations on immigration and compliance.
• Support clients with sponsor licences, workforce planning, and global mobility issues.
• Develop new business opportunities and deepen existing client relationships.
• Enhance market profile through networking, speaking engagements and thought leadership.
• Mentor and develop lawyers within the team.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the practice and firm.

Skills

UK immigration law

Business development

Mentoring

Education

Qualified Solicitor in England & Wales

Job description

About The Role

Immigration Partner – Cambridge or Thames Valley.

The Opportunity and Team

We are looking for an ambitious and commercially minded Immigration Solicitor to join us at Partner level, to lead the next phase of growth for our large immigration practice. Part of our nationally recognised Employment, Immigration and HR team, this is an exciting opportunity for an established lawyer to shape, expand and build upon our successful immigration offering. Our immigration experts provide support for both business and personal immigration matters for senior executives and high-net worth private clients.

Our immigration team is one of the largest outside of London and is known for providing pragmatic, commercial advice to clients across a range of sectors. Our clients rely on us to help them navigate complex immigration requirements, from sponsor licence applications and compliance through to strategic workforce planning and global mobility solutions. This role offers the platform, investment, and cross-referral opportunities to build a substantial practice within a collaborative and entrepreneurial firm.

The Role

As a senior leader within the team, you will play a pivotal role in driving the continued growth of our immigration offering. Working alongside partners across the firm, you will identify opportunities, strengthen existing client relationships, and develop new sources of work.

We are particularly interested in speaking with individuals who bring strong market connections, a proven track record of business and a genuine appetite for growing.

You will:

• Be a part of leading and shaping our national immigration practice.
• Advise employers, education clients and other organisations on complex immigration and compliance.
• Support clients with sponsor licences, workforce planning, global mobility issues, compliance audits, and Home Office investigations.
• Develop new business opportunities and enhance existing client relationships.
• Build your profile in the market through networking, speaking engagements and thought leadership.
• Mentor and develop lawyers within the wider team.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the practice and wider firm.

About You

You will be an established Immigration Partner, Legal Director or Senior Immigration Lawyer with –

• Significant experience advising businesses on complex UK immigration matters. You’ll have atleast 7 years PQE.
• A strong reputation within the market and an established network of contacts or a credible business case for developing one.
• A track record of winning, retaining and growing client relationships.
• Have a proven track‑record of supporting clients in the tech and manufacturing industries.
• Excellent technical expertise and commercial awareness.
• A collaborative approach and commitment to mentoring and developing others.

Why Join Us

With strong referral streams across the firm, an established client base and ambitious growth plans, this is an opportunity to join a highly collaborative partnership and build something significant.

For the right individual, this role is an opportunity to join a successful practice and be instrumental in shaping its future growth.

About Us

Benefits of working with us:

• Income
• Protection
• Private MedicalInsurance
• Sight tests / Glasses discounts
• Car Loans
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme
• 28 days annual leave (plus public holidays)
• Bonus scheme
• Electric vehicle scheme
• Happy People / Perks at Work benefits portal
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Life Assurance
• 1/3 gym membership contribution
• Flu vaccinations

Is HCR the smart move for you?

HCR suits people who love a challenge and want to work in an environment where careers thrive on the back of hard work and personal merit. Our people enjoy feeling part of something bigger than themselves, and whilst our clients drive our development, it is our people who bring their energy, enthusiasm, and entrepreneurial mindsets together to solve problems and help our clients succeed.

Why HCR people love their jobs

Our people tell us they enjoy working on good quality, interesting matters from a wide variety of our clients, because they get the experience they want to develop their careers. We will give you responsibility early, the mandate to make things happen and we’ll back your good ideas. Our “Passion for People” lives and breathes every day throughout the firm as our peoples’ energy and sense of fun create a warm environment in which to thrive.

What career progression will HCR offer you?

HCR’s growth constantly creates opportunities for people who want to go places and make a difference, your career plan can become part of our growth plan. At HCR you can expect to work with friendly, energetic, ambitious people, who love getting stuck into a client problem, and enjoy celebrating a good outcome. Our people value the sense of community provided by the individual personality of each office and the collegiate approach across all our service and sector teams.

What does HCR believe, achieve and stand for?

As a Times Best Law firm, among the UK Top 50, we provide the full range of services that you would expect to organisations, business leaders and individuals. However, in our mission to give everyone the opportunity to experience a different kind of legal service we take an entrepreneurial approach. We’re flexible and responsive to the needs of our clients, delivering the best outcomes for them. We have more than 1000 lawyers and support staff, including more than 180 partners, and have been awarded the Law Society’s Lexcel quality mark in recognition of our compliance and client care standards.

With 13 offices in England and Wales our well-established presence stretches from west to east, ensuring clients can access a full-service legal offering no matter where they’re located. We’ve expanded significantly across all our regions, and are well-respected as a regional firm with a strong London and international presence.

With solid connections in the communities we work in, and a track record of delivering legal advice to businesses and individuals throughout the areas we base ourselves in, our clients continue to value our approach to providing legal advice, in the way they need, when they need it.

As HCR is an equal opportunities employer, we don’t just accept differences, we celebrate them. We want to attract a diverse and ambitious workforce that reflects all backgrounds and skills to create a workplace that is supportive and inclusive, recognises and nurtures talent, and which works together to achieve the best outcome for our clients. We are privileged to be an armed forces-friendly organisation.