Nicolas Rollason

Nick Rollason is a partner and head of Business Immigration.  He advises on all areas of UK immigration and nationality law and has particular expertise in providing strategic advice to businesses on their global immigration needs.

Recognised as "very experienced, knowledgeable and highly diligent' (Legal 500), Nick has over 20 years’ experience in advising corporations and individuals, providing strategic advice on UK and global immigration and citizenship solutions and often advising in the most complex of cases. Nick is a recognised expert in EU immigration law and has litigated key test cases before the European Court of Justice.

Nick is listed as a leading figure in Chambers UK and The Legal 500, International Who’s Who of Corporate Immigration Law, The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom, Spears 500 and the Citywealth Leaders List. He is listed  Who's Who Legal as a 'Thought Leader' 2017.

He is regularly consulted by the UK immigration authorities on proposed changes to UK immigration rules and policy and is a regular press commentator, conference speaker and contributor to immigration publications. He has given evidence to the UK Parliamentary Home Affairs Select Committee on skilled migration and is a former Rapporteur for the European Commission’s Annual Free movement report. He has been a consultant to the OECD and the ILO on migration matters.  He currently acts as an officer for the International Bar Association’s Immigration and Nationality Committee.

Recent work

• Advising a global financial services firm on the immigration aspects of a  major billion pound disposal of part of its business
• Providing strategic advice to  a  US technology company to enter the UK market including obtaining initial visas for senior staff, incorporating the UK company, setting up fully  immigration compliant HR systems and policies, obtaining a Tier 2 sponsor licence on an expedited basis and  providing ongoing advice on sponsoring employees to work in the UK.
• Undertaking high level strategic consulting between a number of UK law firm clients  and the UK Home Office on changes to the UK visitor rules for international lawyers providing cross- border advice to UK client
• Working with a leading major alternative investment manager to set up a London hedge fund under the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) rules.
• Advising a major European bank on the design of  its discretionary managed portfolio offering for Tier 1 Investors
• Providing strategic advice t a number of financial  and professional services firms on the impact of Brexit on workforce planning and global mobility.

 

What clients and directories have said

Fantastic reputation as one of the most knowledgeable and creative immigration solicitors in the UK."

Legal 500 UK, 2015

Nick is warm and engaging. He manages to take both a strategic and detailed view of his clients requirements. He is an excellent litigator and practitioner who can be relied upon to provide sound advice and get the job done. A pleasure to work with."
Citywealth Leaders List, 2015

'A good trainer' and a 'font of all knowledge' who 'has a seat at the table for a lot of policy discussions'."

Chambers UK, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession

He is one of those guys you can pick up the phone to, ask a question and he's got the answer there and then. He's just absolutely brilliant." 

Chambers High Net Worth Guide

Across the piece he's fantastic. He's excellent - /a super-brain and a delightful man',enthuses a source, 'he has a lovely manner as well as being very clever'."

Chambers High Net Worth Guide

Nicolas Rollason has developed a 'fantastic reputation' in the HNW immigration arena". 

Chambers High Net Worth Guide

Amazing across the board; he has an incredible knowledge of the law and awareness of future trends."

Chambers UK

Always generously giving his time and opinion."

Chambers UK

Very experienced, knowledgeable and highly diligent."

Chambers UK

His expertise is often sought out for "complex and difficult immigration cases."

Chambers UK

The 'amazingly capable' Nicolas Rollason mixes corporate immigration work with complex private work, and is 'well known and widely respected' for his knowledge of European and association agreement matters. According to clients, 'he is very user friendly', and 'never fails to provide the right advice, particularly on anything European.'

Chambers UK

 

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND MEMBERSHIPS

• Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA) 
• JUSTICE
• The Law Society
• Associate member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
• UK member of the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers (ABIL)
• Founding member of  the European Immigration Lawyers Network (EILN)

 

Further information

Nick studied history at Hertford College, Oxford and started his career at Baileys Shaw & Gillett in 1994. He joined Kingsley Napley in 1997 and became a partner in 2003. Nick was born and brought up in Geneva, Switzerland and has first hand experience of being part of an expatriate family. A native French speaker, a passionate cyclist and an enthusiastic cook, he has yet to book his gastronomic Tour de France with his wife and three children.