Biography
As a Partner in the Immigration team at Irwin Mitchell, my role involves not only delivering exceptional client service, but also championing and supporting an outstanding group of immigration lawyers and support professionals.
I specialise in UK immigration law, with a particular focus on sponsor compliance for educational institutions and businesses. I also work closely with high-net-worth and high-profile individuals, helping them navigate the immigration system with strategic precision and clarity.
I’ve led landmark cases, shaped immigration policy, and shared insights through media appearances with the BBC, Sky, The Times, and other national and international outlets.
Over the course of my 25-year career, I’ve led immigration teams at Penningtons Manches Cooper, and Carter Thomas Solicitors, a "The Times Best Law Firm", which I founded in 2013. In 2025, I guided the Carter Thomas team, top-ranked in The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, through its transition into Irwin Mitchell.
Alongside my client work, I enjoy mentoring and supporting colleagues - sharing knowledge, spotting potential, and helping others grow. I’ve built and developed high-performing, top-ranked teams who not only deliver excellent outcomes for clients, but who genuinely enjoy inspiring each other.
I’m also passionate about intra-firm collaboration, one of the key reasons I joined Irwin Mitchell. When we work together, our clients get the very best, and every team grows stronger and more connected.
After more than two decades in practice, my passion for this evolving area of law - and for the brilliant people I work alongside - remains as strong as ever.
Awards
Currently listed in The Legal 500 2025 Immigration ‘Hall of Fame’, named a Global Thought Leader – Immigration by Lexology 2025, and ranked in Band 1 for Immigration in Chambers and Partners 2025.
Key highlights:
- Founding Carter Thomas Solicitors and leading it from 2013 until the immigration team transitioned to Irwin Mitchell in 2025. The Carter Thomas team was consistently top ranked by Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500 and appeared in The Times Best Law Firms.
- Leading the strategy that enabled London Metropolitan University to regain its sponsor licence 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)
- Leading the immigration team at Penningtons Manches Cooper to more than quadruple growth in terms of lawyers, turnover and profit, securing top rankings in The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, and spearheading the development of the firm’s leading cross-departmental education sector offering.
- Acting 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
- Serving as a Trustee of UKLGIG and contributing significantly to the consultation and drafting of the Civil Partnership Act 2004
- As a director of ILPA, I was one of five immigration lawyers invited to liaise with the government in 2008 on the original Points-Based System framework
- Securing UK government protection for numerous victims of the Sierra Leone Civil War under the 1951 United Nations Convention on Refugees
I chair ILPA’s annual sponsor licence conference and regularly provide immigration law training sessions. I sit on the consulting editorial board for LexisNexis, 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 inspiring criminal lawyer. I was hooked. I raced back to school to share my newfound ambition - only to be told by one of my teachers (very kindly) that she did think I would make it as a lawyer...
What is the most rewarding aspect of your role?
Securing a successful outcome for a client when the odds are stacked against them is something I’ll never stop enjoying. I also enjoy thriving on the energy that collaboration with colleagues brings.
What do you like about working at Irwin Mitchell?
Working alongside colleagues across departments to deliver a truly joined-up, holistic legal service.
What do you do away from the office?
I love to surf… but I’ll confess that as I (and my knees) get older, that’s evolving more into open water swimming and paddleboarding. I’m also Mum (or more often Bruh nowadays) to my 10-year-old son.
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
