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- British citizenship and ancestry | Constantine Law
British citizenship and ancestry Getting a British passport is the natural end point of the immigration journey, giving security of status in the UK, and the permanent right to live and work in the UK. The UK permits multiple nationality without restriction. It also allows adult Commonwealth citizens with grandparents born in the UK to relocate to the UK for work. Applicatons for Britsh citzenship are carefully examined by the Home Office according to legal criteria. If any requirement is not met, the applicaton will be refused with no statutory right of appeal. We work with clients seeking to have their Britsh citzenship applicaton or UK Ancestry visa applicaton handled with confidence by a trusted partner. We also specialise in complex status tracing enquiries, and we regularly assist clients with UK-born grandparent looking to assess their eligibility to obtain a Britsh passport, relocate to the UK, or pass citzenship on to their children. Recent Cases Some recent matter our partners have handled include: Naturalisation application, successfully arguing for an exercise of discretion in a case with more than 900 days absence in the previous 5 years Successful application for registration by triple descent for children born in USA with a UK-born great grandfather Successful application for recovery of settled status for British Overseas citizen client issued with a passport in the UK before 1968 Registration of children on the basis of overseas adoptions by British citizens, including in countries not usually recognised in UK adoption law Other immigration services For Businesses Sponsor licence applications Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility visas Sponsorship compliance Business travel Right to work checks and illegal working Salary assessment tool For Individuals Applications for family members Global talent, Investors and Entrepreneurs Settlement British citizenship and ancestry Applications based on EU law Human rights applications Appeals Case Studies See examples of successful case studies here . Get in touch Email us at: immigration@constantinelaw.co.uk
- Sponsor licence services | Constantine Law
Sponsor licence services We support businesses looking to hire international talent through sponsorship. Whether you are new to the process or expanding your existing workforce, we offer practical, end to end guidance to help you get started. Our Services Eligibility assessment – we review your business setup and advise on the most suitable sponsor licence type for your needs. Assessing eligibility for a sponsor licence and advising on the appropriate licence type based on your business needs. Application support – we prepare and review your documentation, manage the application process and liaise with the Home Office where required. Compliance advice – we help you understand your duties as a sponsor, including the HR systems and processes you need in place. Ongoing support – from navigating the Sponsor Management System (SMS) to meeting your reporting obligations, we’re here to ensure long-term compliance. Other immigration services For Businesses Sponsor licence applications Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility visas Sponsorship compliance Business travel Right to work checks and illegal working Salary assessment tool For Individuals Applications for family members Global talent, Investors and Entrepreneurs Settlement British citizenship and ancestry Applications based on EU law Human rights applications Appeals Case studies See examples of successful case studies here Get in touch Email us at: immigration@constantinelaw.co.uk
- Employment Law Training | Constantine Law
Employment Employment Law Training Employment law is a fast-developing area of law and businesses face the dual challenge of keeping up to date with key developments and equipping staff with the practical tools and know-how to respond to them. We help your organisation through: Bespoke training which is interactive, practical and fun. It delivers lasting value by enabling clients to handle a variety of legal issues themselves. We develop our training jointly with clients so that it meets their needs and reflects their specific culture and values. Training topics can therefore be designed to suit your circumstances, but topics we frequently deliver training on include: Performance Improvement Managing Sickness Absence Conducting Disciplinaries and Grievances Collective Redundancies Senior Managers Regime TUPE and Outsourcing Social Media Pitfalls Data Subject Access Requests Diversity in the Workplace Training can be tailored for your frontline staff, line managers or your HR or legal teams.Our training can be delivered in a variety of formats to suit you, and is available on a fixed cost basis. Case study Training an HR team on the impact of TUPE and using case studies to illustrate the practical steps involved in a TUPE transfer; Delivering a half-day performance management training session to line managers. Through group exercises and interactive workshops, managers were given practical tips and tools to improve performance in their teams; Working with Private Equity houses to deliver training on restrictive covenants and business protection issues to their investee companies. Restrictive Covenants and Team Moves - Update for Employers To focus on… Key terms in the employment contract Express terms & implied terms Duty of fidelity and fiduciary duties Latest trends in restrictive covenant cases How to enforce, and how to run, an injunction case Disclosure obligations & evidential issues The cost of enforcement and what remedies can be obtained Success stories Bad outcomes: if it goes wrong… LLPs and Partners: Strategies for Exits and Hires To focus on… Key terms of the LLP Agreement Fiduciary obligations and duties of good faith Restrictive covenant update How to enforce: how to run an injunction case Business plans and working with recruiters Disclosure obligations & evidential Issues Importance of privilege Leavers and joiners protocols Update on Business Immigration and Brexit To focus on… The impact of Brexit on business Brexit: the story so far Future of UK employment law The Great Repeal Bill Future of UK immigration Who can stay in the UK post Brexit? Immigration, post Brexit Tier 2 applications and staffing for success Employment Law for Corporate Lawyers – TUPE Update To focus on… Common deal scenarios Problem spotting: people issues for employment and corporate lawyers to consider TUPE Update Negotiating warranties and indemnities Share Purchase Agreements & Asset Purchase Agreements Potential liabilities and Employment Tribunal claims Advice for Start-ups: How to Recruit High-Performing Teams To focus on… Aligning people culture with strategic overall objectives Incentives: pay and other benefits The importance of equality principles Getting the right Board and NEDs Aligning IT policy with business protection principles Understanding and enforcing restrictive covenants Measuring success Equal Opportunity Training for Employers To focus on… The importance of culture and values The statutory framework – the Equality Act 2010 Express and implied terms The ACAS Codes Cost and conduct of litigation Harassment at work and the #MeToo agenda GDPR and Protecting Business Information To focus on… How to conduct a data audit: and use of spreadsheets Privacy notices: for staff and hires Review of commercial contracts Amending HR Policies and employment contracts Data security and breach reporting Training, review and “ownership” Employment Status: Especially for Recruitment, “Gig Economy” and Construction Firms To focus on… The meaning of “employee”, “worker” and “self-employed” Key statutory and common law tests The latest case law position – the rise of “worker status.” The liabilities which arise from “worker” and “employment” status Specific industries: agency workers, CIS workers, gig economy The Government’s plans for these sectors: The Taylor Report Thorny Issues: IR35, NICs liabilities, holiday pay. Get in touch Get in touch with one of our team members today. We’d be happy to discuss your needs and how we can help. Contact
- Sarah Evans | Constantine Law
Sarah Evans Sarah brings over 20 years of experience as an employment lawyer, having initially qualified into commercial litigation and insolvency with a commercial firm in Cheshire before moving on to larger and national firms based in Manchester, with clients across the UK. “Instructing Sarah was the best decision I made in my difficult situation at work.” — Recent client Position Partner Contact + 44 (0)7877 253 927 sarah.evans@constantinelaw.co.uk Sarah credits her early training in litigation and commercial law for her commercial acumen and pragmatic approach to issues and challenges clients face. With extensive advocacy experience in the Tribunals and Courts, Sarah has developed a strong reputation as both a litigator and tactician, and is the trusted recipient of referrals and recommendations from fellow solicitors, barristers, HR professionals and clients. Sarah has particular expertise in advising senior executives, directors and managers on challenges such as restrictive covenants, negotiated exits and bonus disputes. She has built a strong reputation in advising consultants, directors and senior management in both public and private sectors and education. More broadly, Sarah advises on all aspects of employment law and work issues, and has an established reputation in representing both employers and employees in complex sex and disability discrimination and whistleblowing claims. Sarah’s commitment to her clients’ goals and success has been captured in annual legal directory entries, where she is described by clients and referrers in such terms as “a real safe pair of hands for any client”, “clients single out Sarah Evans for her impeccable judgment” and as “tenacious and very skilled” with “a very good eye for detail” and who “gets the job done”. Sarah lives on the edge of the Peak District in Greater Manchester where she enjoys looking at (but not climbing up) the local walking trails. Sarah has one grown up son, Jacob, who early on decided not to follow her footsteps into law, and instead now has a career in structural geology and geophysics. Sarah is the proud owner of a Bischon Frise called Lily, who likes to make appearances in online meetings whenever possible. Sarah qualified as a solicitor in September 2005. MR. G Having Sarah on our side was one of the best decisions we made and knew that we weren’t going to be pushed around. We couldn’t have done it without her. Next
- Relocation to the UK of HNWI establishing UK presence | Constantine Law
<< Back Immigration Case Studies Relocation to the UK of HNWI establishing UK presence Client: CEO of social media company moving to the UK Alex Finch acted for the CEO of a well-known US-based online brand moving to the UK and establishing a presence in London. This involved obtaining a UK Expansion Worker licence to allow relocation of the principal and their family. Also advising on all aspects of sponsor licence compliance in order to successfully convert to a Skilled Worker licence within 12 months and put the client on a pathway to settlement. This case was led by Alex Finch. For immigration law advice and assistance contact our team for more info. << Back to all immigration case studies
- Settlement / ILR | Constantine Law
Settlement / ILR In most cases, settlement is the end goal of the immigration process, finally giving security and relief from making further visa applications. But getting it wrong can be incredibly costly. Complexities can arise over gaps in immigration or employment history, compliance of the underlying business, excessive absences or meeting the ever-evolving salary requirements. We work with you as a trusted advisor to ensure the application is successful, drawing on decades of experience. Our Services Eligibility assessment – we understand your immigration, study and employment history, and identify how you meet each requirement of the rules Planning – we help you to plan and time your immigration process for maximum convenience, focusing on speed of decision and ability to freely travel Execution – we submit your application ensuring it meets every requirement, and act as your representative to the Home Office Other immigration services For Businesses Sponsor licence applications Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility visas Sponsorship compliance Business travel Right to work checks and illegal working Salary assessment tool For Individuals Applications for family members Global talent, Investors and Entrepreneurs Settlement British citizenship and ancestry Applications based on EU law Human rights applications Appeals Case Studies See examples of successful case studies here . Get in touch Email us at: immigration@constantinelaw.co.uk
- Guiding employees through disability discrimination | Constantine Law
<< Back Employment Case Studies Guiding employees through disability discrimination Client: Teacher claiming disability discrimination Our client, a former teacher at a prep school, was dismissed unfairly due to his disability. Constantine Law assisted the client in bringing claims of unfair dismissal, section 15 disability discrimination, and failure to make reasonable adjustments against the prep school. The tribunal found that our client’s dismissal was unfair and discriminatory on the grounds of his disability and awarded our client a total award of £168,441.30. This case was led by Will Clayton and Zahra Mahmood. For employment law advice about disability discrimination, contact our team for more info. << Back to all employment case studies
- Outsourcing Transactions & TUPE | Constantine Law
Employment Outsourcing Transactions & TUPE Solving the people issues arising on an outsourcing or business sale may be critical to realising the full commercial benefit. The notoriously complex TUPE regulations pose a particular challenge for businesses. They create additional consultation obligations, protect employment terms and limit the ability to make dismissals. However, with careful planning and expert advice at the outset you should still be able to achieve your commercial objectives. We can help your business by: Conducting employment law due diligence on proposed outsourcings and transactions. Drafting and negotiating employment provisions in a wide range of outsourcing and business sale agreements, including indemnity and warranty protection, entry and exit provisions, freezing provisions and wrong-pocket clauses. Advising on the impact of TUPE and providing step-by- step guidance on how to manage a TUPE transfer. Negotiating the terms of any exits or appointments of staff on completion. Post-completion advice such as harmonisation of terms and collective redundancy exercises. Case study Advising on the employment implications of the acquisition of the UK’s largest SIPP business. Advising on the TUPE and collective redundancy issues which arose during integration. Advising a private bank on the outsourcing of its IT function to an off-shore service provider. Providing a steps-plan for management of TUPE and collective redundancy obligations and negotiating employment provisions in the outsourcing agreement to ensure adequate commercial protection. Comprehensive advice and guidance on conducting an intra-group TUPE transfer for a global listed property management firm. Drafting and negotiating employment provisions in the business purchase agreement and supporting post-completion integration, including harmonisation of employment terms. Get in touch Get in touch with one of our team members today. We’d be happy to discuss your needs and how we can help. Contact
- Navigating complex TUPE matters | Constantine Law
<< Back Employment Case Studies Navigating complex TUPE matters Client: Regional water utilities company Constantine Law regularly acts for employers on complex TUPE and due diligence matters. We act for a leading regional water utilities company in a complex and high-stakes contract termination and re-tendering process. Our client was faced with the challenging task of terminating a contract for multiple waste management services and re-tendering the work across several lots. This project involved navigating multiple TUPE issues, including fragmentation, as the lots were awarded to different bidders, with some lots even awarded to multiple bidders. This case was led by Neil Johnston . For employment law advice about TUPE issues, contact our team for more info. << Back to all employment case studies
- Shauna Clarke | Constantine Law
Shauna Clarke Shauna Clarke qualified as a solicitor in 2024 and joined the employment department at Constantine Law in February 2025. Shauna completed her training contract at a law firm based in the City of London. Shauna is experienced in negotiating and advising on settlement agreements and enjoys supporting clients facing difficult situations across all employment sectors. She also has experience in Employment Tribunal cases. Shauna supports the employment team in their client work and is highly responsive in her approach. Position Solicitor Contact +44 (0)7442 331061 shauna.clarke@constantinelaw.co.uk Shauna acts for both employees and employers across a variety of industries, securing clients favourable results for her clients. She regularly negotiates and advises on settlement agreements from junior employees to more senior executives, and advises companies on day-to-day HR support. Shauna also has experience in conducting workplace investigations and redundancies which gives her comprehensive insight when advising HR departments. In the past year, Shauna assisted with various Employment Tribunal cases and High Court injunctions, including the Tom James -vs- Max Potter case which was widely reported in the national and legal press. Shauna also supports fee earners in immigration and criminal matters. Very much a “people person”, Shauna is one of the co-founders of “Legal Jargon” a social media platform which supports early-career lawyers, providing peer-to-peer support and advice. Previous Next SENIOR EMPLOYEE Shauna Clarke was very helpful during a difficult time when I was leaving my previous employer. She made me feel listened to in our initial consultation but was honest and candid when recommending the best course of action for me. She explained everything clearly and in detail so the legal terms were easy to understand and I felt confident everything would be handled well.
- Nick Hine | Constantine Law
Nick Hine Nick is currently a non-practising solicitor and is sailing the world on his yacht 'Stormbird'. However, his former team are still at Constantine Law and his clients and any work referred is being professionally handled by the team at Constantine Law. Initial contact should be made to: Ben Payne (ben.payne@constantinelaw.co.uk ), Neil Johnston (neil.johnston@constantinelaw.co.uk) or John Hayes (john.hayes@constantinelaw.co.uk ). “Up front. Honest. Responsive. Knowledgeable.” — Partner and owner of law firm Position Partner Contact + 44 (0)7931 360 372 nick.hine@constantinelaw.co.uk Nick has specialised in employment law for nearly 30 years and having been in top 100 law firms, ran his own employment law boutique for ten years. Nick began his care er in merchant banking, and then served as a Police Officer with th e Metropolitan Police for seven years. During this time Nick completed a law degree and then qualified as a Barrister (1990). Nick then transferred to being a Solicitor, and brings this significant and diverse experience to the benefit of his clients. Nick is a Solicitor Advocate and has years of experience in litigating in the Employment Tribunal and High Court . Nick provides clear, commercial, practical and direct advice – no legal jargon yet in a personable and user-friendly way. He finds out what outcome you are looking for and agrees with you the most practical and straightforward way to achieve it. His clients come to him for help with strategy and growing their businesses, not just when things go wrong. His client’s value his opinion on the recommended course of action and he does not sit on the fence. Nick advises small to large businesses on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment law issues and also advises Partners, Partnerships and LLP’s. This includes maximising the protections for the business through contracts and policies and enforcing those restrictions when breached, including obtaining injunctions in the High Court. He provides day to day support to resolve problems, advises on restructures and redundancies, disciplinary and grievances, TUPE, whistleblowing and the full range of discrimination issues. He often advises on how to remove difficult employees. His clients come from a range of sectors and industries, enabling him to bring knowledge acquired in one industry sector and apply it imaginatively in another. Nick also advises senior executives and directors on negotiating contracts when joining and maximising their exits when leaving. Nick is a keen sailor and a Yachtmaster (has sailed the Atlantic), a skier (described by an Austrian as “not bad for an Englishman”) and also enjoys golf, photography, networking and fine wine. Nick has four children and a house in Italy and enjoys all things Italian! MANAGING PARTNER AND OWNER OF ESTABLISHED ACCOUNTANCY FIRM Nick has the ability to put people at their ease when they are faced with contentious and challenging employment issues and to find clear and practicable ways of helping them find solutions. Previous Next
- Skilled Worker salary assessment tool | Constantine Law
Skilled Worker salary assessment tool Use our free online tool to assess whether a proposed salary meets the applicable Skilled Worker requirements. Enter information about the role and worker, including the SOC 2020 occupation code, salary, weekly working hours and relevant immigration history. The tool will calculate the applicable minimum salary, indicate whether the proposed salary is sufficient and explain the relevant tradeable-points basis. Frequently Asked Questions ◆ What is the salary assessment tool? The salary assessment tool receives data relating to a proposed UK work assignment on the Skilled Worker route, and it outputs information drawn from the UK immigration rules, namely whether the job satisfies the applicable salary minimum. The input data are: SOC 2020 code, the weekly working hours, the salary, the date the worker entered the Skilled Worker route, whether PhD points are being claimed and whether they will be a new entrant. Definitions and commentary on these terms, based on the immigration rules, can be accessed in the information icons. Important: The tool does not cover national-pay-scale roles or certain healthcare, education and care occupations. It does not determine whether the selected occupation code is correct. ◆ Why is this useful? Salary calculations in the Skilled Worker route can be tricky. Once you have selected the right SOC code, you need to pro rata for the weekly working hours, apply transitional rules depending on when the worker first entered the route, consider the minimum hourly wage, apply PhD, new entrant and Immigration Salary List discounts, consider whether the role is within the Temporary Shortage List, and whether the work is governed by National Pay Scales. These steps involve consulting large tables of pay rates. There are hundreds of codes just across Tables 1 – 2 of Appendix Skilled Occupations, the Immigration Salary List and the Temporary Shortage List, each with multiple possible going rates. The salary assessment tool handles the routine work of looking up the code’s applicable pay rate, whether it is eligible for PhD points, whether it is in the Immigration Salary List, whether it is on the Temporary Shortage List, whether the worker benefits from transitional salary protections, and various other steps. Rather than giving out numbers that might lack context to the uninitiated, the output of the tool is a plain English assessment of the minimum salary requirement the role needs to meet. ◆ Who is it for? This tool is aimed at anyone who is involved in sponsoring a Skilled Worker, and is puzzling over how the pay rates work. So you could be in HR, recruitment, legal teams, or you might be a worker yourself, checking whether a job offer satisfies the requirements. That is quite a few people; as of March 2026, there were an estimated 1.4 million people with time-limited permission in a UK sponsored work route. We have made it available to anyone who wants to use it. The answers entered into the assessment are not saved to a user profile. ◆ What is the tool based on? The underlying logic of the tool is taken from the UK immigration rules, primarily Appendix Skilled Worker, with reference to Appendix Skilled Occupations and Appendix Immigration Salary List. ◆ What other tools might I need? When a sponsor assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship to a worker, they must specify the 4-digit occupation code (also known as the ‘standard occupational classification (SOC)’ code) relevant to the job. The current applicable system for Skilled Worker is SOC 2020. The sponsor is responsible for choosing the correct occupation code. Detailed guidance is available on the Office for National Statistics website. The University of Warwick has also developed a Computer Assisted Structured Coding Tool (CASCOT) which can help sponsors choose the correct SOC 2020 code. The correct SOC code match is based on the best overall match with the written job description (which sponsors are required to hold on file for each sponsored worker), and which must correspond to the reality of the role. ◆ Does it use generative AI? No. The assessment is produced using deterministic, rules-based logic developed from the Immigration Rules. The same inputs will produce the same result. The decision logic was developed by our business immigration team and implemented with our technology team. ◆ Why is it especially relevant now? The UK immigration rules are subject to frequent change. Right now, the last major change was in July 2025, but most sponsored workers will be well aware of the possible imposition later this year of the earned settlement proposals which may increase the standard qualifying period for settlement from five years to 10 years. (Those proposals do not alter the salary assessment performed by this tool, and the tool does not assess eligibility for settlement.) Right now, there are important effects operating on the Skilled Worker cohort. First, the salary minima were increased in April 2024, from being broadly in line with the 25th percentile for pay per occupation, to being in line with the 50th percentile. Those who were sponsored in the Skilled Worker route under the rules in place before 4 April 2024 can still rely on the lower salary rates. But the transitional provisions only apply to applications submitted before 4 April 2030. In 2024 it was anticipated that a 6-year transitional provision would be sufficient. With earned settlement, this may not be enough. Second, the July 2025 changes raised the minimum skill level for sponsorship, broadly from RQF3+ to RQF6+. Workers who entered the route under the rules in place before 22 July 2025 can continue in roles skilled at RQF3-5, and the earned settlement paper has suggested that they may be subject to a longer pathway to settlement, but still needing to meet salary minimum requirements. Finally, there are those whose roles were classified as skilled to RQF level 3-5, but who entered under the rules in place from 22 July 2025 under Temporary Shortage List provisions. These workers are unable to sponsor family members and their future eligibility to remain in the UK is unclear. These cohorts are all subject to different transitional rules, creating a confusing landscape for any sponsor. The salary assessment tool deals with these permutations. ◆ Are there exclusions? The outputs of the tool are not legal advice, should not be relied upon as such and are not a guarantee that an application containing these fields will succeed. An online tool cannot by itself determine whether the occupation code is correct, the job is genuine, whether the sponsor complies with sponsor duties, or the outcome of an application. The tool applies to initial applications, extensions and Change of Employment applications. It does not cover applications for settlement. Due to technical complications, it was necessary to exclude certain codes. The tool only works for salary assessments for roles listed in Tables 1, 1a, 2, 2aa, 2a, and 2b of Appendix Skilled Occupations. It does not apply to health and education occupation codes where going rates are based on national pay scales, listed in Tables 3 and 3a, or healthcare occupation codes listed in Table 4, or education codes listed in Table 5, or to SOC codes 6131 (Nursing auxiliaries and assistants), 6135 (Care workers and home carers) or 6136 (Senior care workers). ◆ Which rules is the tool based on? The tool is based on the rules as at launch in September 2026. ◆ Who developed the tool? The tool was devised by Alex Finch , a partner in our business immigration team, and built by our IT team. If you require further advice or assistance, contact one of our immigration specialists now Alex Finch Rebecca Tester






