Diana Baxter, Partner
“She has a logical approach, keeps in constant communication and is very clear. She is incredibly capable.” – Chambers and Partners, 2021
“She knows the law extremely well, she prepares cases brilliantly and she is excellent with clients.” – Chambers and Partners, 2021
“Diana Baxter provided an exceptional service from start to finish. Diana made an extremely traumatic and emotional time in my life manageable. She is highly intelligent, knowledgeable and strategic in her approach. Her manner is quietly confident. She is both efficient and effective. She guided me through an extremely complex legal system to a successful resolution. She is warm, compassionate and reassuring. I needed to disclose deeply personal matters and she sought and secured privacy for me in the UK courts. I would recommend Diana and her team to anyone.” – Legal 500, 2021
“Diana Baxter is a brilliant lawyer, who is destined to reach the top. Diana has established herself as a lateral and creative thinker when it comes to solving complex immigration problems across a wide range of cases. She combines compassion, intellect and tactical nous to great effect for her clients.” – Legal 500, 2021
“Diana Baxter has in-depth knowledge of a wide range of immigration issues, including nationality law. She is praised for being ‘very hard-working with a high level of attention to detail’.” – Chambers and Partners, 2019
“A ‘lateral and creative thinker’, ‘combines compassion, intellect and tactical nous’ and is ‘particularly good on complex nationality cases, as well as family cases involving children’.” – Legal 500, 2019
“Words cannot express the gratitude for all of the hard work that you and the team have done. I am so grateful, you all have made a significant difference to our lives. You made what seemed impossible possible again.” – Client
“Thank you so much! From the beginning and throughout I have felt confident that I was in very capable hands. You have advised me during the whole process with great attention to every detail, ensuring a successful outcome. Over and above that, I am very happy to have met you and I have tremendous respect for the work you do. You make a tangible difference in people’s lives.” – Client
“among the most experienced and knowledgeable lawyers dealing with international surrogacy cases” – Legal 500 2018
Diana is a partner at Wesley Gryk Solicitors LLP. She is ranked as a leading immigration lawyer by Chambers UK 2021 and as a “Next Generation Lawyer” by the Legal 500 2021.
Diana’s practice covers a wide range of immigration, nationality and asylum law, with particular emphasis on complex nationality work and Appendix FM applications for partners, children and parents, as well as applications outside of the immigration rules based on Article 8 rights.
Recent work and notable cases
- Regular Appendix FM and European free movement law applications on behalf of couples, children, parents, and elderly relatives.
- Advice and assistance with applications for all work categories, including Skilled Workers, Global Talent, Innovators and Temporary Workers.
- Assisted on a probono basis for the charity Goodwill Caravan, reuniting a young Syrian child with his UK-based family members under the Dublin III Regulations.
- Assisted victims of transnational spouse abandonment to return to the UK, reunite with their children, and acquire indefinite leave on the basis of domestic violence.
- Regularly instructed by local authorities and families to assist with complex nationality and immigration applications for children and young persons, and in providing expert immigration advice in family proceedings.
- Assisting with applications for British citizenship, right of abode and indefinite leave under the Windrush Scheme.
- Representing British citizens and their family members who are being considered for deprivation of citizenship.
- Asylum applications and appeals on behalf of refugees from Iran, the Gambia, Syria, Pakistan, Uganda, Kenya and Jamaica.
Publications and training
- Tutor on ILPA course “It’s all about the Money: Appendix FM&SE – the Financial requirements”.
- Tutor on ILPA course on Windrush Scheme.
- Tutor on ILPA course on “Nationality law is fun”.
- Webinars on international surrogacy and UK immigration law.
Memberships and volunteering
- Member of Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA).
- Member of the 2017 Justice Working Party on Immigration and Asylum (Determination Reform).
- Volunteer in Athens, Greece, May 2017 in the pilot stage of ILPA’s Athens Refugee Legal Support Project.
Education and experience
- BA (Hons) in Chinese Studies (First class), University of Oxford.
- MSc in Development Studies (Distinction), London School of Economics and Political Science.
- Graduate Diploma in Law (Distinction), BPP.
- Legal Practice Course (Distinction), College of Law.
- Further studies at Beijing University, Beijing Language and Culture University, and University of California, San Diego (UCSD).
- Joined Wesley Gryk Solicitors LLP in 2008 and qualified as a solicitor in 2012. Partner since 2017.
“She has a logical approach, keeps in constant communication and is very clear. She is incredibly capable.” – Chambers and Partners, 2021
“She knows the law extremely well, she prepares cases brilliantly and she is excellent with clients.” – Chambers and Partners, 2021
“Diana Baxter provided an exceptional service from start to finish. Diana made an extremely traumatic and emotional time in my life manageable. She is highly intelligent, knowledgeable and strategic in her approach. Her manner is quietly confident. She is both efficient and effective. She guided me through an extremely complex legal system to a successful resolution. She is warm, compassionate and reassuring. I needed to disclose deeply personal matters and she sought and secured privacy for me in the UK courts. I would recommend Diana and her team to anyone.” – Legal 500, 2021
“Diana Baxter is a brilliant lawyer, who is destined to reach the top. Diana has established herself as a lateral and creative thinker when it comes to solving complex immigration problems across a wide range of cases. She combines compassion, intellect and tactical nous to great effect for her clients.” – Legal 500, 2021
“Diana Baxter has in-depth knowledge of a wide range of immigration issues, including nationality law. She is praised for being ‘very hard-working with a high level of attention to detail’.” – Chambers and Partners, 2019
“A ‘lateral and creative thinker’, ‘combines compassion, intellect and tactical nous’ and is ‘particularly good on complex nationality cases, as well as family cases involving children’.” – Legal 500, 2019
“Words cannot express the gratitude for all of the hard work that you and the team have done. I am so grateful, you all have made a significant difference to our lives. You made what seemed impossible possible again.” – Client
“Thank you so much! From the beginning and throughout I have felt confident that I was in very capable hands. You have advised me during the whole process with great attention to every detail, ensuring a successful outcome. Over and above that, I am very happy to have met you and I have tremendous respect for the work you do. You make a tangible difference in people’s lives.” – Client
“among the most experienced and knowledgeable lawyers dealing with international surrogacy cases” – Legal 500 2018
