K2 X Border establish Incorporated Legal Practice (ILP) in Australia
Our decision to establish an ILP was driven by the growth that we are experiencing in Australia, a country which pairs a net import of talent with a complex and politically sensitive immigration framework. Australia has hundreds of different visa subclasses, including training visas, short-term work visas, partner visas, global talent visas, and regional visas for certain states or territories. In addition, its immigration framework and visa requirements change frequently, plus like in the UK and the US, immigration is regulated, which means that only immigration lawyers or licensed immigration practitioners are permitted to provide immigration advice. As a result, companies looking to relocate talent to Australia require significant immigration support.
In appointing a Principal Lawyer and Immigration Leader, we were looking for someone with significant experience in Australian immigration. Marianne Bateman is an Australian qualified lawyer and immigration specialist who holds a current practicing certificate in NSW. She specialises in corporate immigration law, general skilled migration, family visas, and business innovation and investment visas. Marianne’s previous roles include Head of Immigration Services/Client Advisory at The Migration Agency, Consulting Solicitor at GTC Lawyers (formerly known as Taylor Rose), Senior Consultant at KPMG, and Associate at Baker & McKenzie.
Marianne joins a K2 X Border team of 25+ specialists, immigration lawyers, and licensed immigration practitioners based across K2’s global network of 15 offices. From K2’s Sydney office, Marianne will work with our existing clients in Australia, as well as support Global Head of Immigration, Jesper Albrekt, and Head of Strategic Alliances and Client Development – APAC, Kim Thomas, in developing new business in the country. On Marianne’s appointment, Jesper comments:
“Marianne has been a friend of K2 for seven years and has a strong understanding of our human-centric approach to service delivery. When you add her qualifications and experience into the mix, this makes her the most qualified professional to have at the head of our Australian immigration practice, someone who will give our clients confidence in navigating Australia’s complex and fluid immigration framework.”
For more information on K2 X Border’s ILP or Marianne Bateman’s appointment, please reach out to our team via our ‘Contact Us’ page.
