Iranian Lawyers in the UK

Introduction

Let’s take a situation wherein a refugee from Iran tries to seek shelter in the UK due to political unrest. After some time, the person is informed that he shall be deported to Rwanda due to the new migration plan established by the UK from 14 April 2022. However, the deportation was expected to be done on a case-to-case basis, wherein it must have been established that the person had the choice of going to a third country but did not take on that opportunity. 

The refugee then wishes to challenge the decision of the Home Office and hence, looks for a requirement that is capable of understanding his problem and guiding him in the right direction. In such a situation, a lawyer from Iran origin might be a better option since the person might be well-accustomed to the laws of both countries and might help the person in a better fashion. 

The United Kingdom, as one of the world’s leading economic and cultural spots, is home to one of the biggest, most thriving legal markets. There is a significant community of Iranians living in the United Kingdom. Also, there are vital commercial bonds between Iran and the United Kingdom, even with the sanctions in place. 

Therefore, it is important to have a general knowledge of the legal ecosystem of the UK, trends affecting this market, and the community of Iranian lawyers in the UK. In this piece, we will briefly cover these topics.

Legal Ecosystem in the UK

Countries constituting the United Kingdom come under three separate jurisdictions; England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. These jurisdictions have their court systems and legal ecosystems. However, when it comes to analyzing the UK legal ecosystem, we will be considering all of these separate jurisdictions together.

A report has shown that the value of the UK legal market, despite a slight decline in revenue (1.5 percent) during the first lockdown, has remained unchanged at £36.7bn. Business Wire states: “By far, the largest segment in the UK market is legal to work for business and commercial affairs (including commercial property), accounting for 46% of the total UK market revenue, and most of the high-value work in this segment is undertaken by the larger law firms. The largest segment in the consumer law market is personal injury/accident/medical negligence work, valued at £4bn, although this sector has seen a decline in revenue in 2020. Family law and employment law are the next largest segments, followed by wills and probate and conveyancing.”

The global legal services market grew from $787.28 billion in 2022 to $838.92 billion in 2023 at 6.6%. Expectantly the size is expected to grow to $1,034.52 billion by 2027 at the rate of 5.4%. 

Legal Market Trends in the UK

According to a report by Reuters, not only did clients start to react more favourably to firms investing in the long-term development of the relationship, but they also started to give those firms more work. 

Skills that make top performers stand out to the UK legal departments are being practical, investing in developing good working relationships, being commercial and strategic, being approachable and friendly, and delivering quality advice. 

In summary, the following are currently the key trends and challenges in the UK legal market:

• Clients cutting their legal costs
• The increasing market share of US firms and alternative legal service providers 
• Mobility of talent 
• Insufficient investment in technology 

To deal with these issues, some firms focus on brand visibility, and talent engagement, forming alliances with new law firms and tech providers. However, as a result of all the changes taking place since the pandemic, it was felt more than ever that UK firms needed to be more competitive to cater to the circumstances of the business market affected by the pandemic. 

Another significant factor affecting the legal market is Brexit. US firms in the UK are less dependent on UK-EU relations and, as a result, seem to be less affected by this significant change. In general, most big firms have benefited from the increased need for advisory regarding the changes resulting from Brexit. 

Iranian Lawyers in the UK

Iranian lawyers practice in all UK law areas, including business, family, immigration, etc. Based mainly in London and Manchester, you can find solicitors active in some other fields of law, such as Inheritance and Property Law. 

Amongst the top Iranian legal practitioners in the UK are Mansouri Solicitors (specializes in UK immigration, Property, and Employment Law) and Latif Zamani (specializes in Family, Welfare, and Litigation). Hoffman-Bokaei is another leading independent London law firm (specializing in UK Immigration, Property, Employment, Commercial, Family, Criminal, and Litigation). 

Overall, there doesn’t seem to be any reason to worry about not having access to a decent-sized market of Iranian and Persian-speaking lawyers in the UK, especially in England.

There is an organized community of Iranian lawyers in the UK called BILA. BILA (British Iranian Lawyers Association) is a community of Iranian lawyers in the UK who work aligned with the new legal trends and are able to speak English and Persian. Below, you can see a shortlist of some of the most prominent Iranian lawyers who are active in the UK:

Shahrokh Koussari

Shahrokh is a partner of Axiom DWFM with a wealth of experience in numerous sectors, such as banking and finance, media, retail, technology, energy, renewable and real estate. He is capable of speaking many languages and is known as a multilingual lawyer who speaks English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Persian.

Yasaman Asaad

Yasaman has enough experience in dealing with commercial law, residential property, and business and financial institutions. She is currently a member of Ronald Fletcher Baker LLP.

Attieh Fard

Ayyieh is the CEO of Fard & Co Solicitors law firm, with a great deal of experience in various trends, such as immigration, business, charity, family, employment, litigation, and human rights. Her clients have been individuals, businesses, and charities.

Golnar Bokaei

Golnar is the managing partner of ”Hoffman_Bokaei Solicitors.” She is a conservative councillor in the London Borough of Barnet and has experience in litigation, property, immigration, employment, a licensing company, family, criminal, wills & probate.

Abtin Yeganeh

Abtin is an associate in the Dispute Resolution Department at Fletcher Day and has practical experience in different aspects, such as civil and commercial litigation. His clients are companies, officeholders, and individuals.

Ali Sajjadi

Ali is the CEO of AS & Co and is experienced in immigration matters. His expertise includes tourist visas, student visas, family reunification, marriage, point-based visas, permanent visas, obtaining citizenship and visa extension, investment visas, and work visas.

Arman Khosravi

Arman is a partner at Oliver Fisher Solicitors, and he is experienced in civil and commercial litigation, which encompasses breach of contract, professional negligence, company disputes, partnership disputes, landlord and tenant and property litigation, and he supports his clients, including companies, individuals, sole traders, and partnerships.

Mahgol Sharili

Mahgol is a multilingual legal advisor who speaks English, Persian, Swedish, and French and is also a Ronald Fletcher Baker LLP member. She is experienced in commercial litigation, media, and copyright.

Javad Moghimi

Javad is the co-founder at JMGB LEGAL with great expertise in various trends such as criminal, corporate, international, litigation and immigration law.

Nadia Bazzaz

Nadia is a qualified solicitor in immigration law and has a wealth of experience in an asylum, human rights, family, and public law.

Hamed Sadeh

Hamed is a registered foreign lawyer in England who manages a British law firm called MVLG.

Mehdi Erfan

Mehdi is a reputable Iranian-British lawyer with a rich history of practising in the healthcare industry. You might’ve heard of him in the cost recovery case between NHS England and private hospitals. He represented all hospitals in the argument mentioned. With the experience of leading the legal department of major companies and startups, he could provide you with desired solutions during complex challenges.

Official government list of English-speaking Iran lawyers

While the lawyers mentioned above can assist in the UK, the British Embassy in Tehran has also published a list of lawyers who can provide assistance to British nationals in Iran. The list has been published by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), which has prepared this list for service providers. 

While the list has been shared to assist British nationals, considering the nature of the job and the trust of the Iran government in these lawyers, it might not be wrong to assume that they are capable of providing valuable information and insights to people facing immigration issues, or any other issues, between the two countries. 

What should you take into consideration choosing a multi-jurisdictional lawyer?

Now that we have introduced some of the best Iranian lawyers in the UK, it is time to discuss what a client needs to consider when seeking a lawyer. 

First and foremost, it is a lawyer’s fluency in both Persian and English. Language skills are crucial to lawyers, and, therefore, a lawyer must demonstrate high proficiency in both, if not more, languages. 

Previous work experience in the UK and the Iranian market is another essential factor that must be considered. 

Moreover, the client needs a well-versed lawyer in the complexities of the two different legal systems. Academic background can also be another criterion that clients can examine when making a decision. 

Qualifications required for Iranian lawyers to work in England and Wales

While finding the right lawyer might have been made easier through this blog, you must also be well-versed with the qualification criteria for Iranian lawyers working in England and Wales. This might help you understand the qualifications of the lawyer you are referring to, along with helping you make an informed decision to go forward with the appointment. 

From September 2021, candidates are expected to undertake the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) to qualify for work requirements in England and Wales. This examination is used to qualify as a solicitor, at par with the domestic candidates, and has replaced the previously known Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS). 

SQE Requirements

To qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales, you are expected to complete the following requirements:

Hold a degree or an equivalent qualification in any subject.

This degree is expected to be equivalent to either the UK degree or any other equivalent UK qualification, per the UK National Information Centre (ENIC) statement of comparability. You can also satisfy the requirements of your accredited qualification is level 6 or above under the European Qualifications Framework. 

Complete the SQE1 and SQE2 stages of assessment.

The SQE1 consists of two exams, and both are in the multiple-choice format. SQE2, on the other hand, analyzes your practical assessment skills through written and oral examinations. 

The cost of these assessments is £1,558 and £2,422 respectively, bringing the total amount to £3,980. 

Complete 2 years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE)

While the work experience can be completed anywhere in the world, however, the work needs to be signed off as meeting the SRA requirements by the solicitor of England and Wales. The QWE requirement can be fulfilled in the following 4 organizations – law firms, law centres, legal clinics in academic institutions, or any other appropriate organization. 

Satisfy the character and suitability requirements, as mentioned under the Solicitor Regulation Authority (SRA)

These requirements have expectations divided into different parts that each candidate is expected to fulfil. 

To sum up:

With all that said, Legamart is the perfect platform for Iranian lawyers and clients to interconnect. The design of this platform can assist clients to easily finding Iranian and Persian-speaking lawyers who are active in the United Kingdom in specific fields. 

This platform can help Iranian lawyers in the UK broaden their clientele and find new opportunities to come across clients from the other side of the globe. With the changes about to happen to the way legal services will be offered in the future as being a part of an online platform dedicated to providing the best services possible is a must. 

Ease of access and trust in the quality of service is what we strive to provide here at LegaMart. Join us if you are looking for convenience, trust, quality, and efficiency.