Top 25 Global Migration Attorneys

Uglobal Immigration Magazine 6.1

Article By Uglobal Staff

Uglobal Immigration Magazine is pleased to announce the Top 25 Global Migration Attorneys for 2023. To be eligible, distinguished attorneys needed to be primarily active in the investment migration space and experienced in filing a large volume of applications.

STACEY ANN ABERDEEN-ALLEYNE

ABERDEEN LAW

HQ: St Kitts and Nevis

Stacey Ann Aberdeen-Alleyne applies knowledge, industry experience, and relentless energy to solving clients’ wealth management and immigration desires. She’s a graduate of the University of the West Indies with a degree in law and social work and social policy. She began her career in St Kitts as an associate attorney at law. Within four years, Aberdeen-Alleyne became a sole practitioner and business owner at Aberdeen Law. She has also established AA CBI Advisors L.L.C., a USA-based company that focuses on marketing the CBI program of St Kitts and Nevis. She is an attorney-at-law and notary public called to the bar in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, State of Antigua and Barbuda, and the Federation of St Christopher and Nevis.

ALESSIA AJELLI

LCA STUDIO LEGALE

HQ: Italy

Alessia Ajelli is an Italian corporate and immigration attorney. She is currently a senior associate at LCA Studio Legale, based in Milan, Italy. Her immigration law practice includes assisting clients with private and corporate immigration issues, citizenship matters, work permits (direct hiring and secondments), elective residence and investment visas. In addition to immigration law, Ajelli has experience in M&A, investment transactions, corporate and data protection law. She earned a law degree from the University of Milan in 2011. She has also studied at the University of Navarra in Spain and Tsinghua University in China. Ajelli speaks Italian, English and Spanish.

BURÇIN BARLAS

BARLAS LAW FIRM

HQ: Turkey

Burçin Barlas is the founding partner of Barlas Law Firm. Besides his membership to Istanbul Bar association, he is also a member of the International Bar Association, Turkish-British Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the American Chamber of Commerce. Prior to founding Barlas Law, Barlas worked as a consultant lawyer at the legal department of PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Following his graduation from Feyziye Mektepleri Vakfı Private Işık High School on full scholarship, Barlas obtained his LL.B. degree from Marmara University Law School and completed his LL.M. in European Union Law at Stockholm University, with full scholarship granted by the Swedish Government, specializing in European Union Law.

MARCO BERSANI

BERSANI LAW FIRM

HQ: Italy

Marco Bersani, founder of Bersani Law Firm, is a qualified Italian immigration professional dedicated to helping and assisting people worldwide that aim to move to Italy. Bersani Law Firms assists with Elective Residence Visa for Italy and Italian Golden Visa Program, focusing on the investor visa for Italy.

DIOGO CAPELA

LAMARES, CAPELA & ASSOCIADOS

HQ: Portugal

Diogo Capela is the co-managing partner of Lamares, Capela & Associados, an immigration law firm in Lisbon, Portugal. As an immigration lawyer, his mission is to help clients to achieve a superior quality of life. Acting in a close, high-standard and tailored manner to the client, he provides services to those who want to live or invest in Portugal, assisting them in several areas such a foreign investments consultancy; immigration law; residency by investment program (golden visa); real estate law; corporate law and tax law, in which he handled thousands of cases. He has been present as a speaker or panel moderator at international events related to immigration.

JEAN-PHILIPPE CHETCUTI

CHETCUTI CAUCHI ADVOCATES

HQ: Malta

Dr. Jean-Philippe Chetcuti is the founding and senior partner at Chetcuti Cauchi Advocates, a law firm based in Valletta, Malta. He is a private client lawyer specializing in personal tax, wealth structuring and global residency and citizenship programs. He has advised numerous HNWIs and their family offices, advisors and bankers on the acquisition of residence and citizenship in Malta. He also provides his services to international companies requiring project management of the relocation of key staff, advice on immigration law, taxation, property law, wills and estates. Chetcuti holds a doctoral degree in European corporate tax law from the University of Malta, and a master's degree in international economic law from the University of Warwick, England, where he graduated with distinction. He is a member of the International Bar Association and the Malta Chamber of Advocates.

DAVID CRAWFORD

FRAGOMEN 

Canada

Dr. David Crawford is a Canadian-called Barrister & Solicitor. He holds the position of managing partner at Fragomen in Canada and is a member of the Fragomen Global Executive Committee. Crawford provides immigration advice to businesses across different industry sectors. He offers policy counsel to general counsel, HR professionals, and internal mobility teams, addressing vital areas related to recruitment, retention, and adherence to compliance obligations. Crawford also has a prominent role in the firm’s Canadian private client practice. He is involved in providing pro bono services in Canada, including support for refugee resettlement. Prior to his current role, he contributed as a partner with Fragomen in the United Kingdom and was a founding Partner of Fragomen’s Australian practice.

DEMETRIS DEMETRIADES

ANDREAS DEMETRIADES & CO.  

HQ: Cyprus

Demetris Demetriades is the managing partner and head of the immigration and real estate department of Andreas Demetriades & Co. LLC in Cyprus. He has been with the firm since 1994, representing high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs and companies. He specializes in real estate investment, immigration, corporate and financial law. Demetriades advises his clients on various aspects of business immigration, including the new fast-track procedures for obtaining a Cypriot residence permit, Greek Golden Visa and citizenship under the provisions of the naturalization laws. He has specialized in corporate immigration and relocation for more than 25 years, representing many non-European Union clients.

ELENI DRAKOU

MICHAEL KYPRIANOU – LAW FIRM

HQ: Cyprus

Eleni Drakou is an immigration and real estate lawyer and partner at Michael Kyprianou & Co LLC, a leading law firm in Cyprus. Drakou is a member of the Cyprus Bar Association, a member of the Real Estate Committee of CBA and a board member of STEP Cyprus. She regularly represents investors in their business and real estate transactions in Cyprus. She advises clients on tax, corporate and estate planning. Drakou often assists and represents clients in their immigration and private client matters. Michael Kyprianou & Co has international presence with fully fledged offices in Greece, Malta, the United Kingdom, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Israel and Ukraine.

MICHELLE EMMANUEL-STEELE

VERITAS LEGAL

HQ: Grenada

Michelle Emmanuel-Steele is an attorney at law and a thought leader in the area of citizenship by investment and investment migration. She is based in the Spice Isle of Grenada, West Indies - an ideal location for investment. She is one of Grenada’s most experienced business lawyers with 27 years of commercial experience and offers legal advisory services to investors setting up their operations in Grenada. Steele is the owner of Veritas Legal, a boutique law firm serving clients globally, and Oyster Ventures Inc, an international immigration services company and a licensed local agent of the Grenada citizenship by investment program.

ANTONIN FAVREAU

FAVREAU LAW FIRM

HQ: Canada

Antonin Favreau obtained his law degree from the University of Quebec in Montreal in 2005. He is a member in good standing of the Quebec Bar in Canada and the Illinois Bar in the U.S. In 2011, Favreau started his own law firm and has traveled extensively throughout Asia, providing counsel to immigration professionals to improve their processing skills with files from Canada (QIIP, FIIP, SUV) or USA (EB-5). Since 2018, he has focused on the Canadian Startup Visa program and has been invited by different designated entities to speak on the Startup visa.

JOANA MENDONÇA FERREIRA

GLOBAL CITIZEN SOLUTIONS

HQ: Portugal

Joana Mendonça Ferreira is heading the legal team at Global Citizen Solutions since 2021 and boasts a remarkable career encompassing various domains of law. Graduated from the prestigious University of Lisboa, Mendonça has built in the past 15 years a profound experience in immigration law, consistently demonstrating her prowess in civil and fiscal residency planning within Portugal. Her commitment lies in providing comprehensive assistance to clients hailing from diverse corners of the globe.

NADINE GOLDFOOT

FRAGOMEN

United Kingdom

Nadine Goldfoot is the managing partner of Fragomen’s UK practice. With more than 20 years of immigration law experience, she is considered an international authority on investment immigration and focuses her practice on high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, third-party advisors in the private wealth industry and governments. She was instrumental in establishing the Fragomen Private Client Practice, which provides immigration advice and strategies to private clients globally. Goldfoot also represents some of the world’s largest companies specifically in the financial services industry across the EMEA region. She is a regular speaker and panelist at various conferences and serves on the board of the Investment Migration Council.

SHEILA M. HARRIS

GRANT, JOSEPH & CO.

HQ: Grenada

Sheila M. Harris is a Notary Public for the State of Grenada and a partner at Grant, Joseph & Co., a law firm based in St. George’s, Grenada. Prior to working at Grant, Joseph & Co., Harris worked for the Grenada Attorney General's Chambers and the Grenada Supreme Court Registry. A licensed local agent under the Grenada Citizenship by Investment Act, she is also a member of the Grenada Bar Association, the Trinidad and Tobago Bar Association and the OECS Bar Association. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons.) degree from the University of the West Indies, the Legal Education Certificate from the Council of Legal Education, Hugh Wooding Law School and a Master of Law in intellectual property from King’s College, University of London.

MARCOS KRAEMER

KRAEMER & KRAEMER

HQ: Panama

Marcos Kraemer, a dual citizen by birth, is a licensed attorney in the Republic of Panama with more than 15 years of experience in the RCBI industry and related services to expat clients, such as asset planning, asset succession, wills and probate, business and real estate. Kraemer is the founding partner of Kraemer & Kraemer, a leading law firm in immigration services in the country, and has been a speaker at industry conferences in several countries.

NICOLAS LAURIN

ETERNA INTERNATIONAL HK LIMITED

HQ: Hong Kong

Nicolas Laurin is the president of Eterna International. As a lawyer and seasoned professional in immigration law for nearly 20 years, he brings extensive experience, enabling clients to navigate investment and global mobility programs successfully. A leading name in the industry, Laurin’s specialized knowledge has driven the development of innovative strategies and best-in-class immigration solutions. He's been a member of the Quebec Bar Association since 2005 and equipped with an L.L.B. in law from Université de Montréal since 2003. Laurin has led thousands of clients through Canadian and American immigration processes, like the QIIP or the U.S. EB-5 programs.

TIAGO GALI MACEDO

NEXT LAWYERS – GALI MACEDO E ASSOCIADOS

HQ: Portugal

Tiago Gali Macedo is the managing partner of Next Lawyers – Gali Macedo e Associados, a boutique law firm based in Porto, Portugal, with offices in Lisbon, Brussels and Angola. With a post-graduate degree in labor law from Lusiada University and a master’s degree from the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, Macedo is currently concluding his Ph.D. at the Salford University, UK. He is a professor at various universities in Portugal and the U.S., in addition to being a member of the Portuguese Bar Association and the Belgian Bar Association. An entrepreneur and investor in several sectors, he also served as the president of the General Assembly of ANJE (National Association of Young Entrepreneurs).

ORHAN YAVUZ MAVIOĞLU

ADMD

HQ: Turkey

Orhan Yavuz Mavioglu is the managing partner of ADMD since 2005. He worked previously for Istanbul offices of Altheimer & Gray, Arthur Andersen and Ernst & Young. He holds his LL.B. degree from Marmara University, Istanbul, and has also studied in LL.M. programs on U.S. law at Columbia University, New York; on EU law at Marmara University European Community Institute; and on financial law at Istanbul University. He is a member of Istanbul Bar Association since 2000 and passed the New York Bar Exam in 2004. Mavioglu is a trademark and patent representative before the Turkish Patent Institute and the European Patent Organization since 2001.

VASILIKI PAPALOI

PAPALOIS & ASSOCIATES

HQ: Greece

Vasiliki Papaloi is a Greek immigration consultant and attorney with Papalois & Associates Law Firm in Athens. She focuses her practice on corporate, tax, financial issues, investment programs, immigration and residency permits. Her expertise includes litigation, incentives legislation, tax planning, and real estate due diligence and acquisition. Papaloi has a bachelor’s degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and a Master of Science in banking and finance law from the University of Piraeus. She is a member of the European Law Students’ Association, Athens Bar Association and the Economic Chamber of Greece.

SARA SOUSA REBOLO

PRIME LEGAL

HQ: Portugal

Sara Sousa Rebolo is a Portuguese immigration and real estate lawyer, cofounder and partner at Prime Legal. She is also president of the Portuguese Association of Immigration, Investment and Relocation (PAIIR). Throughout her career, she has worked in labor and corporate law and regularly participates in international conferences as a speaker. With an extensive academic background, Rebolo has certification in investment migration, a master’s degree in legal and financial sciences, a post-graduate degree in economy and management for businesses, in real estate law as well as migration law. She has been named a Top 25 Global Migration Attorney by Uglobal several times.

MATHIEU SIMARD

SIMARD & ASSOCIATES LIMITED

HQ: Hong Kong

Mathieu Simard obtained a Bachelor of Law degree from Sherbrooke University in 2000, and has been a member in good standing of the Quebec Bar since 2002. Since then, he has been working in Hong Kong as an immigration lawyer and consultant, representing clients from around the world, specifically in the APAC region. During his numerous years of practice, Simard has gained a positive reputation within the immigration law and business community. In 2010, Simard established Simard & Associates, specialized in immigration law for entrepreneurs, investors, and foreign workers.

JULIEN TETRAULT

JTH LAWYERS INC

HQ: Canada

Julien Tétrault is the founder and president of JTH Lawyers Inc. He is a winner of the Top 25 Global Migration Attorneys award by Uglobal Immigration Magazine for the third year in a row. After starting his career in immigration by investment for Canada in Hong Kong in 2002, Tétrault moved back to Canada in 2006. He founded JTH Lawyers Inc in 2013. As an administrator of the association Québec Lawyers Abroad (AHQ), Tétrault founded and was president of the Immigrant Investor section of AHQ from 2011 to 2014. Since 2002, Tétrault has represented over 1,000 immigrant investors from over 80 countries.

ALEXANDER VARNAVAS

VARNAVAS LAW FIRM

HQ: Greece

Alexander Varnavas is a second-generation partner at Varnavas Law Firm 1978, a 40-year law firm with expertise in real estate law and investment migration. He is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Investment Migration Council (IMC), the global organization for immigration by investment. Varnavas consulted the Greek government on the shaping of the Greek RBI program at its initial stages. His investment migration practice has been trusted by hundreds of individuals and many international consulting firms. Varnavas Law Firm remains a leader in the Greek market, which caters to a diverse international clientele.

EMILIO CORNEJO VERNAZA

PANAMA GLOBAL SOLUTIONS

HQ: Panama

Emilio Cornejo Vernaza is an experienced corporate attorney with over two decades of practice. He is a founding partner at PGS Attorneys, where he has played a key role in the firm's growth in immigration law, real estate law, and corporate and commercial law. His experience in immigration law has helped numerous clients navigate complex immigration processes, and his deep knowledge of real estate law has led to successful real estate transactions. He also brings a unique perspective to real estate law as a licensed realtor. Cornejo Vernaza is a respected speaker, having presented at conferences worldwide. He has authored numerous articles on topics such as immigration and investment law, featured in reputable industry publications.

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CELIA POURGOURA

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Uglobal Staff
Uglobal Staff

Uglobal.com, along with its peer-reviewed magazines and conferences series, focuses on the global investment immigration market, offering the latest trends and analyses. Uglobal.com is a media platform built to provide professionals involved with global programs with the most comprehensive and credible sources of information in digital, print and seminar mediums. The platform was created out of the need for marketplace transparency and to more efficiently connect individuals interested in learning about the global programs - either as a potential capital source or as a solution for their immigration needs. The Uglobal publication collaborates with a network of leading experts and an authoritative board of advisors to uphold a high standard in all content delivered and events hosted by the organization.

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