Blog
Doing business in the EU
Jessica Clay
Ilda is a partner in the immigration team at Kingsley Napley. She is a South African qualified attorney and a British qualified solicitor who joined the firm in January 2010.
Ilda has more than ten years of UK corporate immigration law experience, managing large company clients as well as handling complex matters for individuals, British nationality applications, appeals, judicial reviews and applications under European Law including Brexit related advice.
Ilda also has extensive knowledge and experience in all aspects of the Points Based System, including assisting employers with their Skilled Worker or Temporary Work sponsor registrations and advising on immigration compliance issues. Equally, she has extensive experience in advising investors, entrepreneurs and high-net worth individuals.
Prior to joining Kingsley Napley LLP, Ilda was the UK Country Manager for Emigra Europe Limited, a specialist global immigration consultancy firm, with service centres on three continents, providing global immigration services for over 100 different countries. Ilda was responsible for the overall management of the UK office, including advising large multinational clients in respect of their UK Immigration related matters.
She also worked as an Associate at ASG Immigration where she advised on all aspects of business and personal immigration, with an emphasis on multinational employees, skilled migrants and applications under European law.
Ilda has spoken on matters of immigration law for several distinguished organisations throughout her career. She has also written several articles on a variety of subjects relating to UK Immigration law.
She is recommended as a Thought Leader in the 2022 International Who's Who of Business Immigration Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, and is ranked as a Leading Individual in Legal 500 UK 2021. She has also been recognised in the Citywealth Leaders List 2020.
Ilda de Sousa is able to draw on extensive experience to advise clients on complex Tier 2 sponsor registrations and compliance issues. She continues to represent an impressive range of domestic and international businesses."
Chambers UK, 2021
She is professional and highly skilled, a joy to deal with."
Chambers UK, 2020
Ilda de Sousa is well versed in handling a range of complex immigration matters, such as resubmissions of Tier 2 applications following refusals."
Chambers UK, 2020
Ilda de Sousa "is calm, professional" and very easy to work with and regularly acts for investors, entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals."
Legal 500 2019
Sources say Ilda de Sousa is an excellent technical and commercial lawyer who goes above and beyond to provide an effective and helpful service.”
Chambers UK, 2018
An outstanding immigration lawyer with impressive breadth and depth of knowledge in the area."
Who's Who Legal, 2017
I have worked alongside Ilda and she has excellent extensive knowledge of immigration law, Tier 1 and the points based system specifically. Her professional approach, combined with a personalised service is a pleasure to receive - by clients and third parties alike."
Citywealth Leaders List, 2016
She is an absolute expert in the field and I have full faith in her and her team's capabilities."
Chambers UK, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession
Includes advising:
Ilda frequently writes for and is quoted in the press. These include:
Ilda has a Bachelor’s degree in Jurisprudence along with an LLB degree from the University of the North West in South Africa. She was initially admitted to practice as a South African attorney in 1999 and later qualified as a solicitor before being made partner in 2013. Ilda speaks Portuguese and Afrikaans.
Skip to content Home About Us Insights Services Contact Accessibility