Shara Pledger
Legal Director
Shara heads the Global Immigration team, overseeing coordination of migration support worldwide. She specialises in UK inbound immigration, assisting domestic and international clients on visa applications, right to work, and compliance matters in sectors including Energy, Infrastructure, and Higher Education.
Shara's experience
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Providing UK immigration and global mobility support to a leading subsea services provider, advising on complex workforce mobility issues across offshore operations. This includes urgent deployments, sponsorship challenges and critical personnel requirements, delivering practical solutions that enable the rapid mobilisation of specialist talent while maintaining compliance.
- United Kingdom
- Energy & Natural Resources
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Advised a higher education institution to prepare for a full audit of their Sponsor Licence. Reviewed resources and helped personnel prepare for interviews. Recommended methods for addressing difficult issues or questions. Advised on key compliance issues to be aware of.
- United Kingdom
- Technology, Science & Industry
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Advising CFGI Limited, an independent accounting and finance consultancy on sponsored worker applications, including entry visas, extensions, and settlement. Supporting strategic hires, managing a new sponsor licence, assessing immigration history and providing cost-effective settlement options. Also advise on EU Settled Status scheme and assist with the Home Office sponsorship system.
- United Kingdom
- Professional & Public Services
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Assisted home energy retail business with settlement for sponsored and non-sponsored migrant workers. Ensured compliance with sponsorship requirements up to settlement date, including necessary applications due to role changes. Submitted settlement applications for primary applicants and dependents. Advised on nationality options for children, successfully applied for registration as British nationals.
- United Kingdom
- Energy & Natural Resources
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Advised a renewable energy sector client on alternative UK visa categories for young professionals and supported their application to add Graduate Trainee sponsorship to their UKVI sponsor licence.
- United Kingdom
- Energy & Natural Resources
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Advised UK offshore energy business on immigration control for offshore workers. Assisted with identifying when visas are and are not required, and the interaction of Immigration Rules with other legislation. Gave practical guidance on the value of sponsor licensing and how individual workers can secure work permission for the UK.
- United Kingdom
- Energy & Natural Resources
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Delivered a full audit for a client sponsoring workers through direct hiring and intra-company transfer. Reviewed key policies and interviewed relevant personnel. Audited worker records for compliance with duties including prevention of illegal working. Compiled a comprehensive report outlining areas for improvement and practical steps.
- United Kingdom
- Infrastructure
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Supported a care home provider to obtain a new UKVI sponsor licence following a corporate deal, ensuring it could continue to employ a migrant workforce without business interruption. This included support and advice with all compliance and reporting duties on its Sponsor Management System.
- United Kingdom
- Technology, Science & Industry
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Provided training to UK university covering immigration compliance for Higher Education sector employment. A diverse mix of university staff joined us to discuss the action required when employing migrant students and academics. The sessions considered visa sponsorship and right-to-work checks, including troubleshooting particularly difficult cases.
- United Kingdom
- Universities & Education
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Advised a cybersecurity business following the rejection of a request to sponsor an essential migrant worker. Prepared successful applications for licensing, individual sponsorships, and personal immigration status and resolved all matters within 4 weeks allowing the hire to proceed as planned.
- United Kingdom
- Technology, Science & Industry
Credentials
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2025Made Legal Director
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2022Joined Pinsent Masons
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2014Qualified - England and Wales
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2014University of Law - LPC
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2007Nottingham Law School - BVC
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2005University of Durham - LLB Hons
Out-Law / Insight by Shara Pledger
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