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Global mobility lawyers

Getting talent in the right place at the right time has never been more important. Whether you are seeking to transfer employees abroad or set up operations in a new country, our global mobility lawyers will work with your HR team to handle the whole process seamlessly.

As a law firm employing more than 1,500 people across offices around the world, we know from experience how important global mobility is for a business to have skilled and talented people working in the right locations.

​​Our global mobility lawyers have first-hand experience in collaborating with colleagues and partners across various international hubs. We know the importance of transferring employees internationally and finding joined-up ways to work together – without any bumps in the road when it comes to relocation.

We work with you and your HR teams to ensure that transfers happen as quickly, conveniently and smoothly as possible, looking after one of your most important business assets: your people.
 

Transferring employees internationally

If you are an employer seeking to transfer key employees internationally or establish operations in a country for the first time, we can guide you through every aspect of the process. Our global mobility solicitors will advise on the immigration system of the destination country or countries, and undertake the appropriate immigration filings, as well as liaising with government contacts where necessary.

We will listen to your needs and spend time familiarising ourselves with your business plan, goals and objectives before tailoring our global mobility services to your exact requirements.

If necessary, we can call on our colleagues from our vast global network to counsel on local employment law, ensuring that we account for any tax implications of the move. At Withers, we have access to the greatest legal minds located across multiple continents. This allows us to draw on the right advice for dealing with even the most complex global mobility visa and relocation cases.

Completing the representation, our corporate team can help you to establish a new firm in the target country. Our comprehensive offering and excellent results have led many employers to work with us for decades. For example, we represent one of the world's leading financial institutions, headquartered in Germany, and regularly assist them in transferring employees internationally, all the way from Europe and Asia to offices in the US.
 

A global mobility law firm that nurtures talent

Our team of global mobility lawyers are passionate about helping international organizations attract, nurture and retain top talents. People power is the most valuable intangible asset in your company, and that's what drives us to make the whole relocation process as simple and stress-free as possible for your staff.

We work for you, the client, and that means we will champion your interests and look after your workers, ensuring your business and your people have everything you could need to transfer overseas successfully.

With the right global mobility law firm, you can access and share the best talent, placing the right employees in the right place at the right time. Many businesses across the globe struggle with skill shortages, particularly in new and emerging sectors where technical skills are highly in demand. Other benefits of global business mobility and relocation are knowledge exchange, greater staff diversity, improved company culture, increased employee retention, and better collaboration.

Find out more about how our global mobility solicitors can help your business grow by getting in touch today.

Track record

Immigration for adult dependant

Assisted a senior executive relocate to the UK his family which included an adult sibling with a learning disability who was fully dependant on him. The immigration rules do not provide for adult dependant relatives to join individuals in the UK under the Points Based System. We prepared detailed legal representations in support of the application and his dependant sibling was issued a visa to the UK outside the provision of immigration rules on a discretionary basis.

Brazilian family offshore structuring

We worked alongside Brazilian counsel to advise a client on the FATCA and CRS reporting requirements applicable to their complex succession structure for his offshore assets. These included a private trust company, trusts, companies and other entities, a private investment fund and multiple investment accounts, and involved the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Switzerland and the US. The advice also needed to take into account the client's plans to relocate his family from Brazil to London, and possibly thereafter to New York City.

Pre-immigration planning for Brazil-USA move

A Brazilian private equity fund executive requested advice on pre-immigration planning in connection with his relocation to the United States. We helped to coordinate the timing of his tax recognition from certain transactions to occur while he was still a Brazilian tax resident and others to be taxed after becoming a US tax resident. We also established different types of trust structures to protect assets from US estate tax, a foreign trust to defer income taxation on existing carried interests, and a traditional US estate planning trust for carried interests not yet paying out.

Venezuelan family in relocation

Advised on the sale of assets in Venezuela and global residency, immigration and planning needs for a Venezuelan family needing to temporarily or permanently leave their country.

Moving a fashion design business to the US

Represented a Canadian native and prominent fashion designer in immigrating to the United States. We helped the designer create her entrepreneurial business structure and supported her brand through multi-jurisdictional intellectual property advice to protect the trademark and key designs. We continue to provide employment and commercial advice as the business grows.

Immigration for adult dependant

Assisted a senior executive relocate to the UK his family which included an adult sibling with a learning disability who was fully dependant on him. The immigration rules do not provide for adult dependant relatives to join individuals in the UK under the Points Based System. We prepared detailed legal representations in support of the application and his dependant sibling was issued a visa to the UK outside the provision of immigration rules on a discretionary basis.

Brazilian family offshore structuring

We worked alongside Brazilian counsel to advise a client on the FATCA and CRS reporting requirements applicable to their complex succession structure for his offshore assets. These included a private trust company, trusts, companies and other entities, a private investment fund and multiple investment accounts, and involved the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Switzerland and the US. The advice also needed to take into account the client's plans to relocate his family from Brazil to London, and possibly thereafter to New York City.

Brazilian family offshore structuring

We worked alongside Brazilian counsel to advise a client on the FATCA and CRS reporting requirements applicable to their complex succession structure for his offshore assets. These included a private trust company, trusts, companies and other entities, a private investment fund and multiple investment accounts, and involved the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Switzerland and the US. The advice also needed to take into account the client's plans to relocate his family from Brazil to London, and possibly thereafter to New York City.

Pre-immigration planning for Brazil-USA move

A Brazilian private equity fund executive requested advice on pre-immigration planning in connection with his relocation to the United States. We helped to coordinate the timing of his tax recognition from certain transactions to occur while he was still a Brazilian tax resident and others to be taxed after becoming a US tax resident. We also established different types of trust structures to protect assets from US estate tax, a foreign trust to defer income taxation on existing carried interests, and a traditional US estate planning trust for carried interests not yet paying out.

Moving a fashion design business to the US

Represented a Canadian native and prominent fashion designer in immigrating to the United States. We helped the designer create her entrepreneurial business structure and supported her brand through multi-jurisdictional intellectual property advice to protect the trademark and key designs. We continue to provide employment and commercial advice as the business grows.

Brazilian family offshore structuring

We worked alongside Brazilian counsel to advise a client on the FATCA and CRS reporting requirements applicable to their complex succession structure for his offshore assets. These included a private trust company, trusts, companies and other entities, a private investment fund and multiple investment accounts, and involved the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Switzerland and the US. The advice also needed to take into account the client's plans to relocate his family from Brazil to London, and possibly thereafter to New York City.

Pre-immigration planning for Brazil-USA move

A Brazilian private equity fund executive requested advice on pre-immigration planning in connection with his relocation to the United States. We helped to coordinate the timing of his tax recognition from certain transactions to occur while he was still a Brazilian tax resident and others to be taxed after becoming a US tax resident. We also established different types of trust structures to protect assets from US estate tax, a foreign trust to defer income taxation on existing carried interests, and a traditional US estate planning trust for carried interests not yet paying out.

Venezuelan family in relocation

Advised on the sale of assets in Venezuela and global residency, immigration and planning needs for a Venezuelan family needing to temporarily or permanently leave their country.

Our team

Theda Fisher

Theda Fisher

Partner | New York

Theda Fisher

Partner | New York

Immigration

Nicolette Bostock

Nicolette Bostock

Partner | London

Nicolette Bostock

Partner | London

Immigration

Giulia Cipollini

Giulia Cipollini

Partner | Milan

Giulia Cipollini

Partner | Milan

Private client and tax

Kwong Wing Leon

Kwong Wing Leon

Partner | Singapore

Kwong Wing Leon

Partner | Singapore

Private client and tax

Fernando Gandioli

Fernando Gandioli

Partner | Milan

Fernando Gandioli

Partner | Milan

Private client and tax

Reaz H. Jafri

Reaz H. Jafri

Of Counsel | New York

Reaz H. Jafri

Of Counsel | New York

Immigration

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Non-dom resources

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