Alison Hunter, Partner
“Alison is one of the top specialist immigration solicitors in the field. She is hugely intelligent and puts this to use in all her cases to achieve an exceptionally high success rate”. – Chambers 2026
“Alison made us aware of exactly what we were doing and how our legal options could be best applied towards our result. She always helped us with a discerning eye for the short term and distant future. – Chambers 2026
“Alison Hunter is the best immigration solicitor around for adoption-related immigration law. There is no one better and more experienced, also excellent in European immigration law issues. Tactical and hugely knowledgeable.’ – Legal500 2026
“I would like to sincerely thank Wesley Gryk Solicitors for their excellent support with my visa application. Alison and Georgia in particular were so helpful, patient, and professional. They guided me step by step, answered all my questions, and made a very stressful process so much easier. I am truly grateful for their dedication and care, and I would recommend them to anyone needing immigration support”. – Client September 2025
“Alison Hunter is a pre-eminent immigration lawyer with an impressive track record in relation to European free movement issues and citizenship applications. She also has recognised expertise in international adoption.” – Chambers 2025
“Alison Hunter is an enormously bright and knowledgeable immigration practitioner with many years of expertise. I would recommend to her to everyone. She is a specialist in child immigration and local authority care, and is very skilled.” – Chambers 2025
“Alison Hunter has expertise in EU free movement and the EU Settlement Scheme, in addition to a niche practice relating to intercountry adoption matters.” – Legal 500 2024
“Alison Hunter is an expert in European free movement matters, especially those relating to families and children. She is also routinely instructed in complex nationality cases involving children adopted overseas by British citizens.” – Chambers 2023
“Alison knows everything there is to know about inter-country adoption. She is very reassuring with clients, particularly when cases become complicated.” – Chambers 2023
“She is absolutely fantastic.” – Chambers 2023
“Alison is an incredibly good lawyer with a lot of experience. She puts it into practice, both in case work and in her wider policy focus.” – Chambers 2023
“Alison is an excellent lawyer, particularly on EU-related matters.” – Chambers 2023
“She is fantastic. She possesses a very good understanding on the intersection of immigration and family law.” – Chambers 2023
“Alison Hunter – the best immigration lawyer for adoption-related immigration issues, would always recommend her first.” – Legal 500 2023
“Alison Hunter is an expert in European free movement matters, especially those relating to families and children. She is also routinely instructed in complex nationality cases involving children adopted overseas by British citizens. ‘She is extremely professional, knowledgeable and reliable. She gives straightforward, honest advice and always delivers on or before the deadline.’ ‘She is super bright, particularly on EU law.’” – Chambers and Partners 2021
“The go to immigration solicitor for adoption related immigration law, diligent, solution orientated and a joy to work with.”
“Alison Hunter is universally regarded as the immigration guru for intercountry adoption issues.” – Legal 500 2022
“Formidably clever and determined, she has great attention to detail and is an excellent lawyer.”
“Alison Hunter is an expert in European free movement matters, especially those relating to families and children. She is also routinely instructed in complex nationality cases involving children adopted overseas by British citizens. ‘She is extremely professional, knowledgeable and reliable. She gives straightforward, honest advice and always delivers on or before the deadline.’ ‘She is super bright, particularly on EU law.’” – Chambers and Partners 2021
“Thank you for being consistently patient, kind – and email responsive! The work you do is challenging and vital and you do it with great humanity so thank you.” – Client
“One of the most meticulous, professional, prompt and efficient solicitors I have ever met. Alison gives clear and tailored advice and is always straight to the point. She is hyper-reactive if you have follow-up questions and will get back to you with any relevant information for your personal situation. She goes above and beyond for her clients. Highly recommended.” – Client
Alison is a partner at the firm. Over two and a half decades of practice, she has developed extensive experience in all areas of UK nationality and immigration law. Her specialist knowledge of European free movement law and her expertise in intercountry adoption matters are both widely recognised. Her practice also covers spouse and partnership applications, Global Talent applications and other work based applications. She has been listed a Band 1 leading individual in Chambers and Partners for a number of years.
Recent work and notable cases
- Securing a right to remain for the former spouse of a European national who was the victim of domestic violence.
- Securing permission to enter the United Kingdom for three children who were in an orphanage after their father had murdered their mother.
- Obtaining immigration status for applicants under the Global Talent scheme, including actors, musicians, start up founders etc.
- Securing indefinite leave to remain for several children adopted by single parents, as well as in cases where the adoption was not recognised by the UK
- Assisting couples with one British partner who have resided in a European member state under European law to return to the live in the United Kingdom under the EU Settlement Scheme.
- Securing the registration as a British citizen of a Russian child adopted by a British parent living abroad.
- Obtaining leave to remain for a US national married to a British citizen after their application was refused because the incorrect documents were submitted.
- Assisting a US/British couple regularise the US partner’s immigration status after they were incorrectly advised to apply for a marriage visit visa.
- Obtaining permanent residence for a German national and his Brazilian partner after their first application was refused due to a lack of evidence.
- Securing leave to remain for a non-European national whose partner was in receipt of a disability benefit and could not otherwise meet the financial requirement.
- Advising people who have missed the deadline to apply under the EU Settlement Scheme to secure their immigration status in the United Kingdom.
- Applying for children who have been matched with parents resident in the UK, to come to the UK to be adopted.
Publications and training
- Delivered the ILPA course, Adoption: a guide for immigration practitioners.
- European Journal of Migration and Law, Between the domestic and the international: the role of the EU in providing protection for unaccompanied children in the UK.
- COMPAS report, Diversity in the Labour Market: The Legal Framework and Support Services for Migrants entitled to work in the United Kingdom.
- Contributor to the European Commission’s report, Freedom of Movement of Workers.
Memberships and volunteering
- Law Society
- Co-Chair of the European Working Group of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA)
- Member of ILPA
Education and experience
- Read law with French law at King’s College, London and obtained a Master’s degree in Human Rights Law at University College, Law.
- Trained at Freshfields.
- Joined Wesley Gryk Solicitors in 1997 and became partner in 2006.
“Alison Hunter is a pre-eminent immigration lawyer with an impressive track record in relation to European free movement issues and citizenship applications. She also has recognised expertise in international adoption. “Alison Hunter is an enormously bright and knowledgeable immigration practitioner with many years of expertise.” “I would recommend to her to everyone. She is a specialist in child immigration and local authority care, and is very skilled.” – Chambers 2024
“Alison Hunter has expertise in EU free movement and the EU Settlement Scheme, in addition to a niche practice relating to intercountry adoption matters.” – Legal 500 2024
“Alison Hunter is an expert in European free movement matters, especially those relating to families and children. She is also routinely instructed in complex nationality cases involving children adopted overseas by British citizens.” – Chambers 2023
“Alison knows everything there is to know about inter-country adoption. She is very reassuring with clients, particularly when cases become complicated.” – Chambers 2023
“She is absolutely fantastic.” – Chambers 2023
“Alison is an incredibly good lawyer with a lot of experience. She puts it into practice, both in case work and in her wider policy focus.” – Chambers 2023
“Alison is an excellent lawyer, particularly on EU-related matters.” – Chambers 2023
“She is fantastic. She possesses a very good understanding on the intersection of immigration and family law.” – Chambers 2023
“Alison Hunter – the best immigration lawyer for adoption-related immigration issues, would always recommend her first.” – Legal 500 2023
“Alison Hunter is an expert in European free movement matters, especially those relating to families and children. She is also routinely instructed in complex nationality cases involving children adopted overseas by British citizens. ‘She is extremely professional, knowledgeable and reliable. She gives straightforward, honest advice and always delivers on or before the deadline.’ ‘She is super bright, particularly on EU law.’” – Chambers and Partners 2021
“The go to immigration solicitor for adoption related immigration law, diligent, solution orientated and a joy to work with.”
“Alison Hunter is universally regarded as the immigration guru for intercountry adoption issues.” – Legal 500 2022
“Formidably clever and determined, she has great attention to detail and is an excellent lawyer.”
“Alison Hunter is an expert in European free movement matters, especially those relating to families and children. She is also routinely instructed in complex nationality cases involving children adopted overseas by British citizens. ‘She is extremely professional, knowledgeable and reliable. She gives straightforward, honest advice and always delivers on or before the deadline.’ ‘She is super bright, particularly on EU law.’” – Chambers and Partners 2021
“Thank you for being consistently patient, kind – and email responsive! The work you do is challenging and vital and you do it with great humanity so thank you.” – Client
“One of the most meticulous, professional, prompt and efficient solicitors I have ever met. Alison gives clear and tailored advice and is always straight to the point. She is hyper-reactive if you have follow-up questions and will get back to you with any relevant information for your personal situation. She goes above and beyond for her clients. Highly recommended.” – Client
