Biography
I am a Partner in the Immigration team at Irwin Mitchell. I specialise in UK immigration law, with a particular focus on sponsor compliance for education institutions and businesses. I also advise high-net-worth and high-profile individuals, helping them navigate the complexities of the immigration system with strategic precision and clarity.
With a career spanning over two decades, I remain as passionate about this ever-evolving field as I was when I qualified as a solicitor in 1999. Throughout my career, I have led landmark cases, advised on key policy developments, been interviewed by the BBC, Sky and other media outlets, and played a pivotal role in shaping immigration strategies for institutions and individuals alike.
Key highlights:
- Led the strategy that enabled London Metropolitan University to regain its sponsor license in 2013 and played a crucial role in English UK’s High Court success in R (on the application of English UK Ltd) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] EWHC 1726 (Admin)
- Acted as lead immigration lawyer in R (on the application of B) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2002] ALL ER (D) 324, benefiting non-EEA spouses reliant on domestic violence provisions
- Served as a Trustee of UKLGIG, contributing significantly to the consultation and drafting of the Civil Partnership Act 2004
- As a director of ILPA, was one of five immigration lawyers invited to liaise with the government in 2008 on the original Points-Based System framework
- Secured UK government protection for numerous victims of the Sierra Leone Civil War under the 1951 United Nations Convention on Refugees
- Founded and led Carter Thomas Solicitors, a leading immigration firm, from 2013 until its acquisition by Irwin Mitchell in 2025.
In addition to my legal practice, I chair ILPA’s annual sponsor license conference and regularly provide immigration law training sessions. I also sit on the consulting editorial board for Lexis Nexis and have previously served as a Trustee of ILPA and co-convenor of the Law Society’s immigration law committee.
What inspired you to get into law?
Age 14, I spent a summer working with my late uncle, an amazing criminal lawyer. I was hooked. I raced back to school to tell one of my favourite teachers, who told me (nicely) that she thought I’d make a better English teacher than a lawyer.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your role?
Watching junior lawyers who I’ve been lucky enough to mentor flourish.
What do you like about working at Irwin Mitchell?
Seeing junior staff grow, sharpen their skills, and bring fresh energy to the team—it’s always rewarding to watch talent thrive.
What do you do away from the office?
I love to surf… but I will confess that as I (and my knees) get older, this is morphing more into open water swimming and paddleboarding.
Testimonials
“Nichola Carter is exceptional! Always provides amazing response time, and clear and lucid advice.” - Legal 500
"Nichola is a superb practitioner. Her focus is universities, and she has definitely got a niche in that kind of complex work. I think she is the best at that.” - Legal 500
“Nichola Carter has always been approachable and genuine in all dealings.” - Legal 500
"Nichola Carter has a very strong background in education sponsorship and is very straight-talking and reliable." - Legal 500
"She is very generous with her knowledge and is good at distilling information into the contexts where we can use it." - Chambers and Partners
Awards
- Global Thought Leader – Immigration – Lexology – 2025
- Hall of Fame – Immigration – Legal 500 2025
- Band 1 – Immigration – Chambers and Partners 2025.
