Elena Hinchin

She has acted for clients before the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal, in Judicial Review applications and in applications to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Elena is fluent in Russian and Hebrew.

Elena advises on a broad range of UK immigration, nationality and human rights matters. Her diverse client base includes high net worth individuals, professionals, businesses and family offices. Elena regularly works with international clients and advisers from multiple jurisdictions. 

In a fast-moving and increasingly complex immigration system, Elena has vast expertise in navigating, interpreting and applying UK immigration laws to clients’ needs and circumstances in a clear and practical manner. Elena combines this with her strength in understanding the bigger picture and delivering holistic and strategic advice to her clients. In doing so Elena takes into account her clients’ wider circumstances and incorporates immigration strategy into their overall planning and structuring. She frequently coordinates work with other parts of the firm, for example, working closely with Farrer & Co’s tax experts so that both immigration and tax concerns are aligned and addressed and any tax requirements – such as day count for the statutory residence test, required investments and UK businesses - can be taken into account and achieved in an immigration-compliant and tax-efficient way. Elena also routinely works with family offices and other advisers, in the UK and globally, to provide the most comprehensive and seamless service.

Elena has significant expertise in dealing with complex immigration matters which fall outside the scope of immigration rules. In addition to pre-arrival planning, she routinely advises clients who, having lived in the UK for some time, find themselves unable to meet the requirements of the immigration rules. With a thorough knowledge of UK immigration laws and a creative approach, she is regularly able to successfully secure alternative options for her clients. 

She regularly works with global businesses, charities and senior executives, advising them on issues such as secondment or relocation to the UK; the concept of splitting time between the UK and other countries and setting up or running the business’ UK offices from an immigration perspective. Elena’s work includes advising on sponsor licence related matters, ranging from helping businesses obtain sponsor licences; assisting with running and maintaining their licences and the licence related systems; assisting sponsor holders with Home Office investigations and inspections; and assisting sponsored (and non-sponsored) staff with ongoing immigration questions (for example, switching between categories, obtaining indefinite leave to remain and citizenship).

Elena’s sponsor licence work has particular focus on work with education providers. She advises schools and universities in relation to sponsor licence matters, including dealing with complex situations; compliance reviews; and assistance with specific student cases.  

Elena has particular expertise in political asylum claims, human rights applications and immigration appeals. These are often high-level protection cases involving cross-jurisdictional elements. In this context she frequently works alongside multiple teams of lawyers in the UK and globally, such as extradition and Interpol specialists. She has acted for clients before the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal, in Judicial Review applications and in applications to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Much of Elena’s work involves project management and the coordination of large teams of professionals to ensure that matters run smoothly and effectively, notwithstanding complicated circumstances and competing priorities in different jurisdictions.  She is able to progress matters quickly and efficiently and while taking on board the complexities of other practice areas and local laws, arriving at practical results. Elena has considerable experience in liaising with foreign advisers and co-ordinating legal advice worldwide, including Russia and the CIS, Middle East, Switzerland and USA.

Elena qualified as a solicitor in 2009.