Joanne, who joins from Pinsent Masons, will manage a team of six immigration lawyers including former colleague Hannah Eades, who moved to TLT as senior associate from the same firm in February 2022. Joanne joins TLT to lead a multi-jurisdictional team across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Joanne has extensive cross-sectorial experience of supporting UK and multinational clients from a wide range of sectors on the full A to Z of business immigration. A trusted go-to in immigration law, her expertise includes securing and maintaining sponsor licenses; identifying appropriate immigration route for employees and securing visas; right to work compliance and navigating the time-sensitive immigration actions triggered by mergers and acquisitions.

Some of Joanne’s recent experience has seen her advise professional services firms on the time-sensitive reports and applications required following multiple business acquisitions, conducting compliance audits for a global energy company, and advising a global employer on allegations of illegal working.

John Paul Sheridan, partner and head of TLT in Scotland said: “Joanne’s appointment to our team in Glasgow will be instrumental to our strategic development in Scotland. Joanne brings with her a wealth of business immigration expertise, which will be a welcome addition to the employment team during this significant period of growth, at a time when business immigration is more important than ever”.

Stuart McBride, partner at TLT commented: “With changes in immigration law soon coming into place in the UK, as well as the many implications of Brexit for UK employers, Joanne joins us at a pivotal time for employment law.

“Joanne’s appointment is an important step for the firm. It will allow us to strengthen our expertise in what is a complex, high-risk and fast-changing strand of law, and also to take further steps to proactively engage in an area that is facing significant growth. We’re also pleased to be welcoming Hannah to our team who will be providing important experience and support to Joanne as she moves into her role at TLT”.

Joanne said: “Business immigration touches all types of businesses, across all types of sectors. It is an extremely sensitive and ever-changing area at the moment, and it is of vital important that all businesses are well-informed and well-supported in this area of law. Brexit and the changes in rights to work, as well as work sponsorships, which are about to come into effect will have huge implications for employers. I’m looking forward to working with our UK-wide key clients across all sectors to advise and support in all areas of business immigration law.

“It’s an exciting time to be joining the employment team at TLT and I’m looking forward to working with the talented business immigration team who specialise in so many different aspects of immigration law”.

For more information visit www.tltsolicitors.com