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Andrew Osborne

Andrew OsbornePartner

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I am the head of Lewis Silkin’s Immigration practice and joined the firm as a Partner in January 2010.

I was previously a Partner at Squire Sanders (Hammonds LLP) in their London office where I was also Head of the Immigration practice.

I have practiced exclusively in the field of immigration law since 1997 and advise across the full range of business and personal immigration categories. I have been heavily involved in lobbying Government on behalf of clients for changes to the immigration system over recent years and have significant senior level contacts at the Home Office. I am also a senior member of Lewis Silkin’s Sports Business group and have a particular expertise in relation to sports immigration. I am named by both the Legal 500 and Chambers as a noted practitioner in my field.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics and American Studies awarded by Keele University in 1988 and later studied for an LLB degree.

I qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales in 1997 after completing the Legal Practice Course.

I am a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association and IBA and am a lecturer on the De Monfort Law School’s Post Graduate Certificate in Sports Law.

Immigration & Global Mobility

I advise on the full range of business immigration categories for my clients who range from large multinationals to small companies and HNW individuals. My specialisms include applications under the Points Based System for Skilled Workers and under the Global Business Mobility routes, in particular for Senior or Specialist Workers. I also advise on settlement, EU Settlement Scheme applications and applications for British citizenship as well as applications for and the management of sponsor licences, compliance with sponsor duties and on the prevention of illegal working regime. I also regularly undertake administrative review cases and assist clients with challenges to civil penalties.

Sports Business

I have specialised in sports immigration work since 2000. My work involves negotiating all areas of international player transfer with an emphasis on football and rugby. I also advise on clubs recruiting players from the EU. I am a registered FA Intermediary and currently advise a range of leading Premier League and Championship clubs as well as leading international player and management agencies. My specialisms include sponsorship under the Points Based System, appeals against refusal of work permission, GBE applications, feeder club structures, regulatory issues and disputes before FIFA and CAS.

Awards & Recognition

  • Chambers 2024 (Immigration: Business (UK-wide)) - "Andrew Osborne has a very strong reputation in this field."
  • Legal 500 2024 (Immigration) - ‘Andrew Osborne is an authority on immigration law and has the practical know-how to back it up. He always delivers and somehow seems to get things through against challenging deadlines. Calm, responsive and practical, he is a stand-out immigration practitioner.’
  • Chamber 2023 (Immigration: Business (UK–wide)) "Andrew Osborne is a safe pair of hands." "He is a very skilled solicitor."
  • Legal 500 2023 (Immigration) ‘Andrew Osborne heads the practice and is reactive to any queries in an efficient and timely manner.’
  • Chambers 2022 (Immigration: Business) - ‘Really outstanding, with expertise in sports immigration’
  • Legal 500 2022 (Immigration) - ‘Andrew Osborne is always approachable and provides practical, commercial immigration advice. This has been invaluable during the last 12-18 months, given the ever-changing uncertainty in the immigration landscape. His advice is considered in the wider corporate operational context, the same way that our business heads and stakeholders consider mobility overall’
  • Chambers 2021 (immigration: Business) - "He is excellent - he is very calm and approachable, and he explains things very simply"
  • Chambers 2021 (immigration: Business) - "He is very supportive on Brexit-related immigration queries"
  • Legal 500 2021 (Sport) - ‘Andrew Osborne is the leading partner domestically on immigration-related issues in sport'
  • Who's Who Legal Global Leader - Immigration (England) 2021
  • Chambers 2019 Ranked: Immigration: Companies & Executives - London (Firms)
  • Chambers 2019 - Sources praise his sports immigration work as well as noting his "calm approach and ability to find a solution."
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