Overview
Claire Nilson helps businesses strategically to move their employees across borders. A U.S. immigration attorney, she has experience in both immigrant and non-immigrant visas. She is also qualified as a solicitor of England and Wales, as well as an attorney at law of Trinidad and Tobago, and has lived and practiced immigration law in all three of the countries where she is qualified.
U.S. Immigration
On U.S. immigration matters, Claire advises both corporate and private clients particularly on business, employment and consular processing issues. With experience working with numerous U.S. Embassies and Consulates worldwide, Claire offers assistance on matters including filing visa applications, briefing applicants on local procedures and preparing waiver applications.
U.K. Immigration
In the United Kingdom, Claire assists companies with their sponsorship of migrants who are skilled workers and intracompany transfers (formerly known as Tier 2) pursuant to the points-based system, as well as advising on sponsor licence applications, the maintenance of sponsor licences and ongoing employer compliance. She also has experience of assisting with Brexit-related enquiries, including applications under the EU Settlement Scheme and new sponsor licence application.
Global Mobility
In the field of global mobility, Claire has experience advising and assisting in and out of many different countries on behalf of clients across industries worldwide.
Faculty Positions
- Academy of Tertiary Studies, Curepe, Trinidad and Tobago — Law Lecturer, 2008-10
Related Legal Services
Credentials
Bar Admissions
New York
U.S. Court & International Admissions
New York Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Solicitor of the Courts of England & Wales [Solicitors Regulation Authority]
Languages
German
Education
Hugh Wooding Law School
Legal Education Certificate (2009)
De Montfort University
LL.B. Law with German, with honors (2000)
Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz
German Law and German Language, Erasmus Scholar (1999)
Insights & Events
Latest
Insights
Events
Upcoming Events
Past Events
Other Perspectives
- What To Know About The EU Residency Scheme Changes
Law360, August 31, 2023 - Best Practices for Consular Processing: NVC Issues
Panelist, AILA Annual Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, June 2017 - How Will Brexit and the Revised EU Immigration Directives Affect Mobility and Migration of Third-Country Nationals in the Region?
Panel Leader, AILA Global Immigration Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, June 2017 - U.S. & U.K. Immigration – The Effect of Trump and Brexit
Panelist, British American Group of Lawyers (BAGOL) at the British American Business Council (BABC) 2017 Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois, May 2017 - Referring Business Across International Borders
Panelist, AILA Rome District Chapter Spring Conference, Brussels, Belgium, May 2017 - Business Immigration and Travel Under a Donald Trump Presidency
Global Legal Post, November 2016 - Staying Alive: Practical Tips for Avoiding Ethical Problems, Conflicts of Interest and Other Deadly Vegas Sins
Panel Leader, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Global Immigration Forum, Las Vegas, Nevada, June 2016 - Welcome Address as 2015-16 Co-Chair of the AILA Global Migration Section
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Global Immigration Forum, Las Vegas, Nevada, June 2016 - B-1 Visas: The Dream and the Reality
Panel Leader, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Annual Conference (pre-recorded panel), Las Vegas, Nevada, June 2016 - From NVC to Consular Processing: The Road to Success
Panelist, AILA Annual Conference, National Harbor, Maryland, June 2015 - Finding and Working With Local Counsel: What to Do When You Are Not in Kansas
Panelist, AILA Global Immigration Conference, National Harbor, Maryland, June 2015 - Ethics Issues to Consider in Setting Up/Managing an Immigration Practice Abroad
Podcast Speaker, AILA Rome District Chapter, June 2015 - Cross-Cultural Considerations for the Global Immigration Practice
Panel Leader, AILA Global Immigration Conference, Boston, June 2014 - A Primer on OFAC and the Export Control Regulations for the Overseas U.S. Immigration Lawyer
Podcast Speaker, AILA Rome District Chapter, June 2014 - Spotlight on the Caribbean
Panelist, AILA Global Migration Section's Quarterly Teleconference, May 2014 - Intra-Company Transfer Visas for the U.S.
ACS Market Update, ACS International Schools (U.K.), Spring 2014 - Living and Working in Trinidad and Tobago
Voice Magazine, Issue 4.1, AILA (U.S.), March 2014 - The Fine Art of Herding Cats — Ethics and Client Control
Panelist, AILA Rome District Chapter Spring Conference, Athens, Greece, March 2014 - Managing Your Virtual Solo Practice While You Actually Are Away
Podcast Speaker, AILA Rome Distrct Chapter, January 2014 - Apostilles and Notarization
Podcast Speaker, AILA Rome District Chapter, December 2013 - Transferring to the United States: Temporary Visa Options for the Transferee and Their Family
Expatriates Magazine, Issue 3 (France), December 2013 - Termination of Attorney Client Relationship
Podcast Speaker, AILA Rome District Chapter, November 2013 - Critical Business Plan Issues for Investor Visas
Podcast Speaker, AILA Rome District Chapter, June 2013 - U.S. Business Tax Issues for the Overseas Practitioner
Podcast Speaker, AILA Rome District Chapter, June 2013 - U.S. Banking for Overseas Clients
Podcast Speaker, AILA Rome District Chapter, May 2013 - Trinidad and Tobago: Visas and Work Permits
Global Migration Digest, Vol. 1, Issue 6, AILA (U.S.), May 2013 - U.S. Visas Options for Recent Graduates
American University, Paris, France, November 2012 - Waivers and Review in Consular Processing, Consular Processing for Experts
Panelist, ILW teleconference series, July 2012 - Establishing and Managing a Global Migration Practice
Panelist, AILA Global Immigration Conference, Nashville, Tennessee, June 2012 - International Relocation: Challenges Facing Transatlantic Business
Panelist, British American Business, London, U.K., October 2011
Firm Blog Contributions
- LaborSphere – a resource providing coverage and insights on breaking cases, recently enacted legislation and a broad range of labor issues
Leadership & Community
Professional Associations
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) — Global Migration Section (Co-Chair, 2015-16)
- Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA)
- American Women Lawyers in London (AWLL)
- Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA)
- Law Society of England & Wales
- Law Association of Trinidad & Tobago
- Society of English & American Lawyers (SEAL)
Civic Activities
- U.K. Women's Club of Trinidad & Tobago (UKWC), 2008-10; Vice President, 2009-10
Honors
- Forum for Expatriate Management — Global Mobility Professional of the Year (runner-up), 2017
- Who’s Who Legal — Thought Leaders UK: Corporate Immigration, 2011-24
- Who’s Who Legal — Global Elite Thought Leader: Corporate Immigration, 2023-24