Spear’s Review

Pat Saini, head of Penningtons Manches Cooper’s immigration team and co-head of the firm’s 30-year-old India group, tells Spear’s that becoming a ‘trusted adviser’ to her clients means spending time getting to know them and the sector they work in while building a thorough understanding of their family and business needs.

The India practice offers advice and referrals to British clients exploring opportunities in India. It also offers full service to Indian nationals – whether they reside in India or not – who want to live, set up businesses or educate children in the UK.

Saini helped the British government with the development of the global talent visa and has since specialised in acquiring it for tech entrepreneurs. She sits on the gender committee at Penningtons and maintains a particular interest in advising junior lawyers. ‘It’s very important for my team members – who can end up dealing with clients that are in difficult situations – to have support,’ she notes. ‘I try to teach my juniors that empathy is so important.’