2023 – What have we achieved this year?

The end of the year is a time for reflection, and in doing so we are able to take a moment to recognise the progress achieved at Lisa’s Law in 2023. In the final piece this year, we review 2023 by highlighting some of the major achievements from our immigration, conveyancing and litigation teams respectively. But first, a few words from our Managing Director, Chuanli Ding.

 

I believe that 2023 has been another remarkable year for Lisa’s Law. We have not only achieved an overall growth of 30%, following a 52% growth last year, but also optimised our structure and made it more efficient and productive. This will lay down a solid foundation for our further expansion in 2024.

 

Immigration

 

Our Immigration team, led by the excellent Immigration Supervisor, Mahfuz Ahmed, has made excellent progress this year:

 

2023 has been a very busy year when it comes to immigration following an increase in migration to the UK compared with 2022. There have been a host of new changes introduced by the UK this year which have posed a host of new challenges. Thankfully, our immigration team has been able to carefully navigate these changes to ensure positive outcomes for our clients.

 

Our immigration team’s achievements over the past year have been numerous. This has seen us assist in over 1400 immigration matters overall, with a 61% growth in new matters compared with last year. Our team now numbers a total of 18 immigration specialists, a 20% increase compared with last year. Finally, we have also had an appeal success rate of 90%, helping those who have been refused by the Home Office to successfully exercise their right to appeal.

 

Some notable cases this year have included the following:

 

• Obtained British citizenship by discretion for a child born outside the UK who is an exceptional sports player.
• Success in obtaining skilled worker entry clearance for a client being sponsored by a business owned by a client’s siblings.
• Successful in obtaining a visa based on 20 years residence despite the client having very little evidence.
• Obtained permanent residence for a client who exceeded the maximum days allowed outside the country through the 10-year residence route.

 

Conveyancing

 

Our Conveyancing team have also seen impressive growth in the safe hands of our Head of Conveyancing, Elin Lee.

 

This year we have opened close to 1500 cases up until the end of October – a 10% growth in new matters overall. We have therefore achieved growth two years in a row, during what many would consider to be uncertain economic times. Our cases this year were made up of a roughly 70% residential and 30% commercial split, showing that while the majority were made up of residential cases, commercial conveyancing still played a vital role.

 

In terms of the breakdown for our residential conveyancing, residential new build cases made up approximately 10%. Meanwhile, we also helped many to realise their dreams of owning their own home, with first time buyers making up roughly 10% of cases.

 

For the commercial side of our conveyancing service, perhaps one of the major highlights of the year includes the purchase of several plots of land. We now have instructions to act for the developers in these plot sales.

 

Finally, as well as growth in the number of matters, our team has also grown over the past year. Our conveyancing team now totals 23 people, with further plans for expansion next year.

 

2023 was a challenging year for the property market given the hike in interest rates by the Bank of England. This environment has meant that we see the swift completion of every property transaction as not just our responsibility, but also our mission. Nevertheless, Lisa’s Law carefully vets each client to ensure there are no oversights or hidden issues.

 

Our meticulous, efficient, and responsible approach has positioned Lisa’s Law Solicitors as one of the designated law firms for many developers. With inflation continuing to ease over the past year, we can perhaps anticipate a interest rate cut by the Bank of England in 2024. This would be a positive development for those considering mortgage-based property purchases.

 

Litigation

 

Finally, our litigation team under Litigation Supervisor, Evveline Loh, has also had a very successful year, achieving superb growth.

 

 

The achievements of our team in 2023 are a testament to our Litigation Team’s ever-increasing prowess. From triumphant property possession victories to strategic settlements in director breach cases, our dedication and endeavour defines us. We have championed clients in diverse cases —be it against universities, Amazon, or even a high-stakes High Court judgment. Defining moments for the year have been cost-effective resolutions in party wall disputes and efficient Amazon fund releases.

 

With a knack for negotiation and a track record of success within the team, we have navigated complexities and secured favourable outcomes for clients. As the year closes, our Litigation Team stands as a beacon of legal excellence, safeguarding our clients’ interests with skill and determination. Cheers to a year of unwavering success!

 

Below are some of the outstanding highlights from this year for our litigation team.

 

1. Property Possession Success:

 

We have achieved success in possession cases, securing settlements with regained possession or winning with a 100% rent arrears judgment. In some instances, we have also recovered partial or full costs.

 

2. Director Breach of Duty Settlement:

 

Resolving a director’s breach of duty case, we settled for approximately £412k. Our client not only reclaimed the claimed amount but also regained ownership of the company’s property and trademark through a strategic settlement.

 

3. Developer’s Building Work Claim:

 

In a case against a developer’s building work, our client successfully obtained damages amounting to £26k, showcasing our commitment to recovering losses on behalf of our clients.

 

4. Negligence Claim against Universities:

 

Acting for students, we pursued negligence claims against renowned universities, ensuring our clients’ rights were protected and seeking justice for any wrongdoing.

 

5. Mortgage Possession Defence:

 

Defending mortgage possession cases, we successfully resisted possession orders for properties ranging from £1.2 million to £78 million, demonstrating our dedication to safeguarding our clients’ assets.

 

6. Employment Case Settlement:

 

Settling an employment case initiated by an employee seeking almost £140,000, we negotiated a favourable resolution, showcasing our expertise in employment law.

 

7. Trademark Dispute with Amazon:

 

Resolving a trademark dispute with Amazon, we issued a pre-action letter leading the opposing party to back off. Our client’s link was reinstated by Amazon within 24-48 hours, highlighting our efficient and strategic approach.

 

8. Amazon Fund Release:

 

Assisting a client whose funds were withheld by Amazon in 2020/2021, we successfully navigated the issue, writing to Amazon and securing the release of funds within one month.

 

9. Party Wall Dispute Resolution:

 

In a party wall dispute, where the client was initially prepared to spend £200,000 on legal fees, we successfully persuaded them to opt for mediation, showcasing our commitment to cost-effective resolutions.

 

10. High Court Judgment Success:

 

Securing a recent High Court judgment, our client successfully challenged a claimant’s late application for notice regarding the authenticity of our client’s documents. The judge commented on the parties’ failure to agree on realistic timetabling and witness statement compliance and cost order was made to reflect relevant parties’ failure.

 

11. Parcel Claim Settlement:

 

Successfully settling a claim involving 200 claimants over undelivered parcels due to the insolvency of a Chinese company, we negotiated amicable settlements and reduced our client’s overall liability, highlighting our effective dispute resolution skills.

 

Have questions? Get in touch today!

 

Call us on 020 7928 0276, phone calls are operating as usual and we will be taking calls from 9:30am to 6:00pm.

 

Email us on info@lisaslaw.co.uk.

 

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