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Portrait of James Lamont
Areas of expertise: Immigration

Profile

James is an associate in the immigration team, based in London, advising private individuals and businesses on all areas of immigration and nationality law. 

He acts for private clients on matters ranging from highly complex and unusual applications requiring discretion from the Home Office, to integrated global mobility projects for family offices and high net worth clients, including elements of business immigration law where applicable. He also provides advice and training to businesses for both complex and routine matters arising under the various sponsored work, Visitor and EU Settlement Scheme rules, and engages his experience with the full range of immigration law to provide the best solutions for business clients and their employees.  

James qualified in 2021 and joined Penningtons Manches Cooper in 2024 from another international law firm. He is a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association.

Recent work highlights

  • Reversing a refusal for leave to remain under Appendix FM as a partner, for a client suffering from a severe and rare form of cancer who had attempted to switch in-country as a Visitor. The Home Office accepted arguments that discretion had not been applied.
  • Advising a high net worth family and its family office on the establishment of the office in the UK, including securing a Skilled Worker sponsor licence and visas for key employees, and assisting on the Visitor and Overseas Domestic Worker routes for family members.
  • Advising and supporting a large corporate client which uncovered potential and inadvertent illegal working following non-compliant right to work checks, and securing further leave to remain for the employee concerned without incurring penalties.
  • Securing Frontier Worker permits for several cohorts of seasonal workers to ensure business continuity for a client with operations across the UK and EU.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC311575 and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 419867.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP