Negin Eskandary

Place of birth: Kabul
Job Role: Solicitor
Start Date with Kalsi Solicitors: Sep 01, 2018
Office based in: Leicester
Languages spoken: English, Farsi, Dari and Dutch
Favourite movie: The Kite Runner
Best concert / live performance you have ever been to: Enrique Iglesias
Last 3 holiday locations you have been to: Malta, Greece and Turkey
Dream holiday location you have yet to have travelled to: Fiji Islands
A fun fact about you!: I am obsessed with my cat Pishu (cat-lady in the making)
What made you want to practice law: Growing up, I did not have a burning desire to become a lawyer. Instead, I wanted to become a teacher- a primary school teacher to be precise. However, after I took up the subject of Law at A-levels I grew an interest in the subject and this prompted me to study it further at University. When the big eureka moment came that it would be difficult to teach 5-year olds about their constitutional rights(!), I set my sight on becoming a University lecturer and thus pursued a Master’s course. I was writing my Thesis on the subject of asylum and migration and decided that it would be a good idea to get some practical legal work experience in this field.
I sent out a mass email to various immigration firms to ask for work experience. One of the people who replied was my current Principal Navinder Kalsi. I started shadowing him and other lawyers and eventually fell in love with the practice of law: meeting with clients, learning and explaining complex legal issues and assisting with making a real change to their circumstances. I soon proved to be quite good at it too! I decided to stay after completing my Masters course and, as they say, the rest is history..

Education/Training

Academic Education: Masters Degree
University for Master Degree: The University of Warwick
Subject/Course for Master Degree: International Development, Law and Human Rights
Grade for Masters Degree: Distinction
Professional Qualifications: Law Society Immigration & Asylum – Senior Caseworker Accreditation

Experience

Background: I have worked in the field of asylum, immigration and nationality since 2013. Born in Afghanistan, I have undergone the full migrant experience myself. From fleeing Afghanistan with my family several months after my birth, to seeking refuge in the Netherlands and eventually having migrated to the UK to pursue further studies, I have truly experienced first-hand the fears and concerns, as well as future hopes and aspirations that many have when leaving behind a place they call ‘home’. I have a particular interest in human rights-related matters.
Expertise: Advice and assistance in relation to applications made under Appendix FM for those who wish to join or remain with their British or settled family members in the UK, as well as refugee family reunion applications. This includes expertise in child concession and long-residence applications.
Advice and assistance in relation to applications made under the new EU Settlement Scheme rules including applications for entry clearance and rights of temporary and permanent stay. This includes retained rights applications after death or divorce of the EEA national, as well as applications under Surinder Singh and Zambrano.
Advice and assistance in relation to British nationality applications including naturalisation and registration of minors within or outside of the UK as British citizens. This includes expertise in making challenges to refusal and renunciation of nationality status.
Advice and assistance in relation to applications made for entry clearance, further leave or switching into the student and skilled worker routes.
Advice and assistance in relation to applications made for short-term visit visas and (convention) travel document applications.
Advice and assistance in relation to Tier 1 entrepreneur applications, providing guidance and assistance with the accompanying business plan, preparing clients for Home Office interviewing.
Advice and assistance to UK businesses in applying for a sponsor licence, advising on HR requirements and preparing them for their Home Office audit and inspections.
Advice and assistance to asylum seekers in applying for asylum and eventual refugee settlement applications.