On 15th June 2026, Gulbenkian Andonian Solicitors marks its 41st anniversary. Founded on this date in 1985, the firm has spent four decades advising and representing clients on complex UK immigration and human rights law, taking on the cases that other solicitors decline for being too difficult and, in many instances, succeeding where other firms had failed.
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Among the First Dedicated Immigration Firms in London
When the firm opened in 1985, specialist immigration practices were a rare sight in London. Most firms offering immigration advice did so as a sideline, attaching it to a general caseload with no particular depth of resources. The founders of Gulbenkian Andonian Solicitors decided that immigration and human rights clients needed and deserved dedicated and experienced solicitors from the outset. This set the firm apart and led the way for other specialist immigration law firms to enter the market.
Paul Gulbenkian, one of the firm’s founding partners and a former Immigration Law Judge, said:
“When Bernard and I established Gulbenkian Andonian Solicitors in Kensington as a Specialist Immigration Firm in June 1985, some told us we were “brave” and others that we were “crazy”. I believe that we were the first firm in the UK to set up a practice in such a niche area as UK Immigration/Nationality.
We did so because, although both of us had practised in other areas of law, we found that our work was becoming more and more in this specialist area. We relied almost exclusively on word of mouth recommendations and referrals and it was not long before we had to employ additional staff to help with our cases. These ranged from Business Immigration, Work Permits, Personal Immigration, Asylum, Human Rights, and Nationality. Clients came to us literally from every part of the world. We also dealt with Immigration Appeal cases, the most influential and famous of which was Bernard’s case of Shah and Islam where, after losing in the lower Courts, we were successful in the House of Lords on 25 March 1999. It is case law to this day.
As the firm progressed, we outgrew our offices in Kensington and, during my time, eventually moved to larger ones in Sicilian Avenue, Holborn. We were still there when I retired as Senior Partner in March 2010. As agreed between us many years previously, Bernard took over from me as Senior Partner. The firm continued to thrive under his leadership until he also retired and passed the mantle to Dave Vasoodaven who has maintained and enhanced its standing in the Legal Profession (always ranking high in the Legal Directories). Bernard and I have stayed on as Consultants.
I look on GA as “my baby” (I am not sure, between Bernard and myself, who is the father and who the mother!!!) and am truly proud of its achievements and reputation. Long may this continue…..”
Forty-One Years of Results in Difficult Cases
Gulbenkian Andonian Solicitors is recognised by The Legal 500 as a leading firm for immigration, human rights, appeals, and overstay work. Client often contact the firm having already received a refusal, sometimes more than one, and having been told elsewhere that the case is too difficult or the prospects too uncertain. The firm’s response has been consistent: assess the correct legal route, meticulously build their case, and present an overwhelmingly persuasive argument to the Home Office or Tribunal.
The firm’s guiding purpose from day one has been to keep people and families together in the United Kingdom. This ethos is infused into Gulbenkian Andonian Solicitors’ culture and values. They are scrupulously honest with clients, and are unafraid to walk away from cases lacking in genuine merit. The firm also acts for politically exposed people and those whose asylum cases carrying significant personal risk.
When recruiting new talent, the partners look for people who demonstrate they have compassion, courage, and commitment when it comes to helping their clients.
Dr Bernard Andonian, co-founder and fellow former Immigration Law Judge, commented:
“I’m immensely proud still to be part of this amazing firm after 41 years at the seasoned age of 76.
Forty-one years in immigration law teaches you that every case is a person’s life. Paul and I built this firm on the belief that people in the most difficult immigration situations deserve the best legal minds working for them, not a process. Seeing the families we have kept together and the rights we have protected across four decades fills me with a sense of purpose that has never dimmed.”
Dave Vasoodaven, SRA number 408025 is a dual-qualified lawyer and multi-skilled professional with both management and legal expertise. Recognised by The Legal 500 for his ability to “meet clients at their point of need,” he advises on corporate and commercial law, cross-border investment, UK immigration, and human rights matters. Dave has successfully represented high-net-worth clients in complex appeal cases before the Tribunal, higher courts, and through judicial reviews, including high-profile immigration matters reported in The Guardian. He is a member of the Malaysian Bar and the International Lawyers Association, and currently serves as Secretary-General of the ASEAN-UK Business Forum, promoting trade and investment between the UK and East Asia. See Dave’s full profile