• LL.B (Hons) Lancaster University (First Class)
• LL.M (Cantab) University of Cambridge
• BPTC City Law School (Outstanding)
• Lord Justice Holker BPTC Award Gray’s Inn (2012)
• Jacobson Bequest for International Law (St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge) (2010)
• Lancaster and Morecambe District Law Society Prize for Best Performance in the LL.B Degree (2009)

Gillian has 10 years experience working exclusively in immigration law and is passionate about helping clients to live, work and start businesses in the UK – whether that’s by preparing applications, appeals, judicial reviews or administrative reviews. She helps clients enter the UK, extend their permission, and challenge refusal decisions. Gillian’s practice includes almost all areas of immigration law, allowing her to advise clients on a broad range of immigration issues.

Business Migration

Gillian has significant experience of the Global Talent category, including both visa applications and endorsement applications.

She has a particular interest in those working in arts, music, dance, film and television and is frequently asked to provide advice and talks on this topic to agencies and industry bodies.  She also has a vast amount of experience in Tech based Global Talent applications and runs a webinar on this topic. 

She also assists those coming to the UK for business reasons, providing clients with nuanced advice about the pros and cons of different immigration routes. This often involves advice to those in the Start-up, Innovator Founder, Representative of an Overseas Business, Expansion Worker and Skilled Worker routes. Given her wide ranging knowledge and experience she is able to give practical advice to clients on the most suitable routes, including, where appropriate, obtaining a Sponsor Licence. As well as actively advising clients, Gillian is regularly asked to write about these categories for publications such as LexisPSL, as well as giving internal training to our own team.

Gillian has a vast amount of experience with the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) and Tier 1 (Investor) categories, having advised clients from all over the world on these categories. Now that the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route is closed to new entrants, she concentrates her advice on ensuring that individuals in the category take appropriate steps to ensure their extension and settlement prior to the full closure of the category. She has successfully made extension and ILR applications relying on Covid concessions including furlough periods and has successfully assisted individuals making accelerated ILR applications on the basis of both revenue and enhanced job creation. 

Personal Migration

Gillian also has considerable experience assisting spouses, fiancées and unmarried partners. She also has extensive experience with claims relating to children, human rights and asylum. She is regularly instructed by both members of the public and professional clients to appear before the First-Tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal in cases where a decision taken by the Home Office will have the effect of separating a family or impacting children. She has a particular expertise in cases with complex financial arrangements or complicated immigration histories including allegations of deception and revocation of ILR and is often instructed in Judicial Review matters relating to these issues. 

Having assisted clients across a broad range of applications and appeals, Gillian is well-placed to advise on allegations of deception in whatever category they arise. She has previously successfully assisted individuals to overturn allegations of deception in fresh applications following a ten-year ban from the UK, and in administrative review and Judicial Review proceedings.

Additional Experience

Within Chambers, Gillian is a Pupil Supervisor, assists with training and supervision of junior members and provides external training, seminars and webinars on relevant immigration topics. Gillian also co-founded our Pro Bono team and coordinates instructions through partner organisations, having advised on cases involving the Afghan and Ukrainian Schemes. 

• Gillian assisted a film producer to obtain an endorsement from PACT on the basis that he was Exceptionally Talented.
• She assisted a Television Executive to obtain an endorsement from PACT on the basis of being Exceptionally Talented. 
• She assisted an Actor to obtain an endorsement as being Exceptionally Talented, despite a previous refusal in the Exceptional Promise category.
• Gillian assisted a female Entrepreneur to gain endorsement from Tech Nation as Exceptionally Promising manager in the field of digital tech. 
• She assisted a Scientist to obtain endorsement from the Royal Society to enable her flexibility to undertake a wider range of work in the UK. 
• Gillian assisted an Entrepreneur team to obtain ILR on the basis of having a turnover of £5 million.
• She assisted an Entrepreneur, with three business ventures, to obtain ILR on the basis of ten jobs for a company with a high turnover of staff.
• Gillian successfully overturned an Entrepreneur refusal through Judicial Review proceedings.
• Gillian assisted a Representative of an Overseas Business extend his stay in the UK, despite a significant impact of covid on business operations. 
• Gillian assisted a Representative of an Overseas Business to enter the UK, following a previous refusal decision in the same category. 
• She has assisted a restaurant with a high turnover of staff to obtain a Sponsor Licence in order to bring in skilled workers to support their operations. 
• Gillian assisted a Skilled Worker to obtain ILR having spent time across a number of different categories and with different employers during the relevant five year period.
• She assisted a Skilled Worker and her children to obtain ILR, despite excessive absences from the UK and in circumstances where the children’s father was not able to join them in the UK. 
• She assisted a US national to obtain leave as a Tier 1 (Investor), having been gifted funds to be used in the application. 
• Gillian assisted a couple to apply for a Fiance visa, following a last minute change in their wedding plans due to Covid-19. 
• Gillian overturned a refusal decision for a Visitor visa by Judicial Review proceedings. 
• She overturned a Visitor Visa refusal involving an allegation of deception in a Pre-action protocol Letter.
• She successfully made a fresh application for a Visitor during a ten year ban due to previous deception by convincing the Home Office that there had been no previous deception.
• Gillian overturned a refusal decision for Indefinite Leave to Remain due to excessive absences though Appeal proceedings. 
• Gillian successfully applied for leave to remain on human rights grounds for an individual, following the revocation of his ILR status. 
• Gillian assisted an Albanian national obtain ILR, following the historic use of a false identity.
• She assisted an EU national to successfully apply for Settled Status after the deadline and relying on a historic period of residence.

Before being called to the Bar, Gillian spent three months at the Hague as an intern at the Special Court for Sierra Leone and while studying she worked with the UNDP for Serbia. She has also worked with a number of UK based domestic and international human rights charities including Liberty, Amicus, Interights and the Burma Justice Committee. She has also taken part in ad hoc projects relating to Syria, Bangladesh and Iran.

“I would like to thank Gillian McCall for helping me to obtain an extension to my investors Tier 1 Visa having had my initial application refused by the Home Office. I found her extremely knowledgeable, considerate and professional in the manner in which she assisted me when obtaining the extension.”
Xiao Gu – granted an extension of stay as a Tier 1 (Investor)

“I cannot thank Gillian McCall enough to give my 9 years’ life back to me. She is knowledgeable, honest, responsible and professional in her profession. I wish, I had her from beginning of my visa process.”
Reza Moloudi – granted extension of stay as a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) following Judicial Review proceedings

“Our case was dealt by Miss. Gillian McCall . The professionalism, way of approach and efficiency is beyond our expectations! Great!! Thank you so much!””
Teena Jacob – Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) appeal allowed

“I am very much happy with the excellent service provided by Gillian McCall. She has in depth knowledge and solid understanding of immigration matters. Gillian and team has helped me in each and every stage of my application and kept me informed at all times. Answered all my queries, emails and phone calls promptly.”
Srikrishna Gaddam – granted an extension of stay as a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)

“Professional service and Ms. Gillian did a great job and support all the way to get my visa approved on time”
Rami Saadi – Granted entry clearance as a Sole Representative

“Gillian was the best lawyer. My case finished so quickly more than I expected it. Her timing and way of working was the best I ever seen. My husband will be with me less than two month of the application. I will always use their service anytime I need legal advice. I would like to thank Gillian you are amazing.”
Aida Berhane – granted Entry Clearance as a Spouse

“Gillian was awesome, how professionalism should be …”
Gideon Giwa – granted leave to remain as a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)