BIO:

Claire D. Nilson is Counsel in the London, UK office of Faegre Drinker. Claire is qualified as a lawyer in three jurisdictions: New York (USA); England & Wales and Trinidad & Tobago. Following a number of years practicing in New York, Claire was a solo practitioner in Trinidad before relocating to the United Kingdom in 2011. Claire is a member of the Law Society of England & Wales, Law Association of Trinidad & Tobago, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Immigration law Practitioners Association (ILPA), Commonwealth Lawyers Association, and the Society of English & American Lawyers, among others. She is a past Co-Chair of AILA’s Global Migration Section. Claire has been nominated in the field of immigration law for inclusion in Who's Who Legal every year since 2011, and was the runner-up for the Forum for Expatriate Management’s 2017 EMMA Award for Global Mobility Professional of the Year.

SUPPORTING STATEMENT:

I am a recently retired U.S. immigration attorney and the Honorary Consul for Finland in Minnesota. It is my pleasure to nominate Claire Nilson for Global Mobility Professional of the Year. I worked as an immigration lawyer for over 37 years, including with household name clients and immigration lawyers worldwide. Claire is one of the best immigration lawyers worldwide with whom I have ever worked. Claire Nilson is an industry leader that businesses trust for creative, quick solutions to their most complex immigration challenges. Claire is counsel in Faegre Drinker’s London office and has two decades of experience as an immigration lawyer in the United Kingdom, United States, and Trinidad & Tobago. Claire brings a friendly face and pragmatic advice to the table, simplifying even the most complicated scenarios. She advises corporations across multiple industries on work permit and visa matters worldwide. With her experience as a U.S. immigration attorney working with U.S. Consulates in Europe, Claire has been able to effectively facilitate movement of clients from Europe to the United States for years, through a number of administrations with their respective idiosyncrasies, and often in a hostile immigration climate. She has assisted many U.S.-based clients with moves into the United Kingdom and other countries worldwide, carefully explaining and managing the process with both superlative knowledge and impeccable calm.

Claire dedicates her time to industry associations, including the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA). She is also past co-chair of AILA’s Global Migration Section. For years, Claire has invested significant time in creating resources for the immigration and global mobility industry and wider audiences which have contributed to the education of her peers and the continued professionalization of the field. She is a wonderful teacher and generous mentor to multiple immigration professionals. Claire is a regular speaker at conferences, including AILA and British American Business. She routinely produces updates through Faegre Drinker’s website and has authored articles for such publications as SME magazine and Investment Monitor. She is well-respected and quoted as an expert in the field by others, both in the trade and academic press.

Claire is also a contributory author to The Consular Practice Handbook published this year. Claire has been listed in the International Who’s Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers every year since 2011 and has been recognized in the most elite subset of this publication annual since its 2021 inception: Thought Leaders Global Elite - Corporate Immigration Law. The clients who work with Claire consistently provide positive feedback about her and the immigration advice that she provides. They value her deep knowledge of the subject matter and its practical application to their businesses and lives. It is only once a lawyer has mastered the rules that they gain the experience to explain creative and innovative options, and Claire is a true master whom I fully endorse as one of the most elite immigration professionals worldwide. She is truly deserving of the award for Global Mobility Professional of the Year.