More of our lawyers ranked in this year’s Chambers and Partners UK guide
16 October 2025
The 2026 Chambers and Partners UK legal guide has ranked more Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law lawyers than ever. Congratulations to Managing Partner Vanessa Ganguin, Senior Counsel Philip Trott and Senior Associates Ben Maitland and Alex Piletska, all ranked in this year’s prestigious legal guide.
They would all like to thank all our clients, peers and referrers for their recommendations and testimonials this year.
Testimonials include:
“This team is amazing. They have brilliant customer service, are extremely knowledgeable and incredible at navigating an individual’s personal journey.”
“Vanessa Ganguin offer exceptional professionalism, punctuality, expertise, thorough approaches, and knowledge.”
“They are very commercial. Even if we don’t have an ongoing case, we are informed by the firm regarding changes of any laws related to our previous cases.”
Once again, the legal guide ranks both Managing Partner Vanessa Ganguin and Senior Counsel Philip Trott and the department is highly ranked for both Personal and Business Immigration.
The famous legal guide also ranks Ben Maitland for business immigration matters and our new Senior Associate Alex Piletska is ranked again too for her human rights immigration advice. Both, the guide says are “associates to watch”.
According to Chambers and Partners: “Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law houses a team of experienced professionals with expertise across a wide range of business immigration topics. Technology, media and financial organisations regularly request its assistance with complex matters. The team is well versed in Creative Worker sponsor licenses, Skilled Worker sponsor licences and issues related to leave to remain applications.”
Ranking the firm for personal immigration as well as business, the guide adds: “Vanessa Ganguin is a boutique practice with expertise in indefinite leave to remain applications, nationality matters and visa applications. They represent a variety of individuals including refugees, professionals and spouses.”
‘Rising star’ Alex Piletska joins Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law and is ranked highly for human rights immigration
The firm’s personal immigration and nationality advice has been greatly bolstered by the addition of our new highly-regarded Senior Associate Alex Piletska to the team. Alex Piletska has a wealth of experience in immigration and is able to advise on a wide range of cases, including family and human rights applications, as well as skilled worker migration. She has a particular interest in complex nationality cases, Adult Dependent Relative applications, Judicial Review and technical procedural issues like validity and variations.
Alex is ranked an “associate to watch” in Chambers and Partners for the fourth year running for her tenacious work in Human Rights Immigration, Asylum and Deportation. She was also ranked as an EDI (‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’) Champion in 2023 and 2024 after cofounding the award-winning Ukraine Advice Project UK which helped 4,000 families escaping the Russian invasion.
Chambers 2026 UK guide says: “Alex Piletska is a rising star in the immigration field. Her practice encompasses specialised human rights work, strategic litigation and complex Adult Dependent Relative cases.”
According to testimonials given to the guide, “She is very clever, and prepares cases very well. She is a fighter for her clients and really knows her stuff” and “She has a comprehensive and fantastic understanding of every area of the law. When I have a question, she is the one I go to. She is very empathetic, and she really fights for her clients.”
‘Tactitian’ Ben Maitland ranked an ‘associate to watch’ for the ‘full spectrum of business immigration’
Thank you to all our kind clients who gave Ben Maitland glowing references for the latest Chambers and Partners guide, which ranks our other Senior Associate an ‘associate to watch’ in for his advise “on the full spectrum of business immigration matters, including Global Talent visas and sponsor licence applications.”
One client told the guide’s researchers, “I lean on him for advice and insight; he is very good and a real tactician,” another added: “Ben is great; he understands our business and comes up with commercial solutions.”
‘Longstanding leader in immigration law’ Philip Trott ranked a ‘senior statesperson’ in the field again.
Our Senior counsel Philip Trott is yet again the only UK immigration lawyer top ranked as a ‘senior statesperson’ for both Business Immigration in Chambers UK as well as in Chambers and Partners Guide for High Net Worth advisers.
Earlier this year, in a ceremony at the Tower of London celebrating firms and advisers to the private client sector, Philip Trott was also recognised with an Outstanding Contributions Award at the Chambers High Net Worth Awards 2025. At the end of an evening of awards for HNW service providers, Philip Trott, referred to as “the godfather of immigration law” by Chambers High Net Worth for the breadth of his work in UK immigration with individuals and companies, was awarded the Outstanding Contribution award by Simon Christian, Global Research Director at Chambers and Partners, publishers of the Chambers UK and Chambers High Net Worth guides.
The Chambers 2026 legal guide ranks Philip Trott at the top of its rankings for business immigration practice too, noting: “a longstanding leader in immigration law, Philip Trott advises on the full gamut of immigration issues, from sponsor licence applications to matters regarding Global Talent visas. He represents a diverse list of clients including international companies, charities and non-profit organisations.”
Clients and referrers quoted add: “Philip is very strong technically, practical, calm and easy to work with” and “Philip is an outstanding lawyer.”
Once again, thank you very much to all our kind clients, peers and referrers for your recommendations.
Photo of Philip accepting his award c Chambers / Chino Vantage Media
All other photos of us c Tina Korhonen Photography