Monday 8 December 2025

I’ve just wrapped up my six month secondment with Laura Devine Immigration (LDI) as part of my training contract with the Crown Prosecution Service and I still can’t believe how quickly it flew by. Time really does move fast when you’re enjoying the work.

How did the opportunity come about?

The secondment began with a simple email. I reached out to a few people at LDI asking whether I could complete a secondment with the firm as part of my training contract. Sue kindly got back to me, and after an initial chat, an interview was arranged. Before the interview, I connected with Yael, Yokabet, Tim and Phoebe on LinkedIn, all of whom shared detailed and helpful preparation tips. On the day, I was interviewed by Sophie, with Sue also present. The details of the interview are a blur now but thankfully, it went well!

Why LDI?

I’ve always been interested in immigration law so LDI’s strong reputation in UK and US immigration drew me in, but what sealed the deal were the warm and supportive messages I received from the team members I connected with on LinkedIn. Their support to someone they didn’t even know reflected a culture of collaboration, something I came on to experience daily throughout my secondment.

What did I work on?

During my time at LDI, I had the chance to assist on a wide variety of corporate and private client matters, helping clients that ranged from global businesses to entrepreneurs, high net worth individuals and families. This included sponsor licence applications and work across multiple immigration and nationality categories including Skilled Worker, Expansion Worker, Family Route, EU Settlement Scheme, Indefinite Leave to Remain, Ukraine Schemes, British Nationals Overseas, Administrative Review, Student visas, Visit visas, Temporary Work routes and more.

I prepared a variety of documents, including eligibility and procedure advice, client correspondence, submission letters and other letters to the Home Office, supporting letters for client applications, schedules of absences and application forms. I also carried out research ahead of client meetings and while drafting advice to help inform the guidance provided to clients. In addition, I took notes during client calls, which helped me develop strong questioning and information gathering techniques.

Throughout the secondment, I was able to both observe and actively contribute, always seeing firsthand how deeply the team cares about supporting clients through an ever changing area of law. Among other things, I learned how to build and manage client relationships with confidence.

Beyond work

Beyond my day to day work, I attended regular webinars with organisations such as the Home Office and Free Movement, as well as internal training sessions and technical update sessions. While not strictly law related, I also benefitted from Excel training and wellbeing sessions, which were both practical and enjoyable.

Also, I enjoyed the occasional socials, team lunches and book events hosted by LDI (including raffles to raise money for different charities), which made the experience even more memorable and helped me get to know the team in a relaxed setting. Of note, I enjoyed going with the team to see ‘Punch’ at the theatre and this really highlighted the friendly, inclusive culture at LDI.

If I had to describe LDI in a few words

I would say: excellence, commitment to clients and a friendly, forward thinking culture. I’ve been especially impressed by the firm’s expertise, its influence in the immigration field and its genuine care for every client and potential client, irrespective of background. In particular, I was struck by how colleagues assisted a Palestinian family with their refugee family reunion applications on a pro bono basis and proactively shared a Crowd Justice link to raise funds for an essential expert report. This was truly inspiring and, to me, reflected LDI’s ethos of going above and beyond for its clients. I have also seen firsthand that LDI is a firm that invests in its people, offering mentorship and opportunities for professional and personal development.

Thank you’s

I’m deeply grateful to everyone who supported me. I spent most of my time working with Sophie’s team. Special thanks to Yael (my official buddy) and Hannah (my unofficial one!) for always being there, and to Sophie for her consistent, constructive feedback. Thanks also to James and Mel for many things but particularly for sharing their Global Talent expertise (especially at the beginning when I was still getting to grips with things), and to Sue, who truly is the glue that keeps everything running smoothly in the team.

I also had the chance to work with other teams which gave me valuable perspective on different effective ways to approach a task and encouraged me to become more adaptable to different working styles. Also, Laura herself along with LDI’s partners were incredibly down to earth, a true example of how strong, values driven leadership flows from the top and influences every part of a firm.

Final thoughts

In just six months, I’ve learned so much about immigration law, about the work LDI does, and about myself. I’m heading into the next stage of my training contract with new skills, new confidence, and a clearer sense of the lawyer I want to become.

Thank you again to LDI for this opportunity and I wish the firm continued success in the future.