Arafat Habib

Legal Consultant

Arafat deals with all areas of firm’s practice, with particular emphasis on commercial and public law. He specialises in commercial civil litigation and all areas of immigration, human rights and judicial review. He is experienced in dealing with commercial, partnership, company, personal injury and negligence related civil disputes, including high profile cases.

Arafat is a significant member of our team. He has consistent record of success in dealing with investment and work visas. He also has excellent record in dealing with judicial reviews with majority of his cases either being conceded by the other side or won at court. He is skilful in drafting pleadings, witness statements, as well as various types of deeds and contracts.

A perfectionist by nature, clients come to him for his sincerity, discipline, standard of service and professional demeanour. He is a strong strategist and is completely uncompromising when it comes to providing first-rate services to the clients.

Expertise



General Dispute Resolution/ Litigation



Landlord and Tenant



Business and Company Matters



Immigration and Asylum



Family

RECENT WORKS

Successfully challenging (in JR proceedings) a deportation order and curtailment of leave made under s.117C of NIAA 2002 and para 398 of IR
Successfully representing a company whose fleet of over 30 cars had been wrongly converted by others
Representing two clients in a highly contested property dispute worth about 2 million pounds
Representing a group of clients in a high value partnership dispute that involved a harassment claim, injunction application, 9-days long trial and took over four years to resolve
Successfully negotiating settlement in a company dispute
Dealing with several commercial conveyancing and business purchase – includes drafting of trust deed and deed of covenant
Securing leave to remain for a Venezuelan national on humanitarian grounds
Securing ILR under Appendix FM for an Applicant who had spent almost half of his 5-years’ qualifying period outside the UK
Successfully dealing with several JR applications
Securing child arrangement order in a contested matter
Litigating and negotiating financial settlement in a divorce matter

RECOMMENDATIONS

Mr Arafat Habib has taken us through the process each step of the way, explaining what is required, when and why. He is always on hand throughout the day and evening to answer questions and is very responsive. He has built a relationship with our family which makes it easier to discuss things when needed. He has been more than helpful and understanding of our situation, which is greatly appreciated. We can highly recommend Mr Arafat Habib and his firm Lexpert Solicitors LLP.

Claire Fletcher (via email, November 24, 2019)

Very reliable and trustworthy, as well as empathetic and a kind human being.

Annabella Palma (via email, November 11, 2019)

It is my pleasure and honour to recommend Mr Arafat Habib of Lexpert Solicitors. I am a client of Mr Habib for nearly 6 years. I am confident of his excellent and exceptional professional skills. His professional experience and personal qualities made him stand out from others. I am hugely impressed by his ability to bring spectacular result, even from adverse situations. He is hard working, highly professional and takes every single issue seriously.

SK Bhowmick (via email, November 10, 2019)

A genius lawyer. Knows exactly what he is doing with a case.

SS Sathi (first published on Lexpert Solicitors website on July 11, 2019)

EDUCATION

BPTC, City, University of London

LLM, City, University of London

LLB, University of London

LANGUAGES

English, Bangla, Hindi, Urdu

INTERESTS

Writing, music production, filmmaking

Significant obstacles to integration, unduly harsh consequence and very compelling circumstances over and above those – the three exceptions barring the deportations of foreign criminals

Pursuant to section 117C of Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (“NIAA 2002”) and paragraph 398 of the Immigration Rules (“IR”), a foreign criminal[i] should be deported from the UK, unless one of the three exceptions applies. The first exception is that the person has been lawfully resident in the UK for most of his life, he is socially and culturally integrated in the UK and there would be very significant obstacles to his or her...

New UK visa sponsorship for employers

The new UK visa sponsorship system for employers replaces the Tier 2 sponsorship scheme. In many respect the new system is less onerous for the employers as well as sponsored employees. This is understandable in the aftermath of Brexit when (since 01 January 2021) UK Sponsors can no longer employ new entrants from EEA and Switzerland outside the sponsorship system (unless they are here on other visas, e.g. as a student, investor, dependant...

Best interests of children in the context of foreign criminals

Thanks to section 55 of the Border, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 (which reflects article 3.1 of the UNCRC), as well as cases like Zoumbas v SSHD [2013] UKSC 74, ZH (Tanzania) v SSHD [2011] UKSC 4, and H (H) v Deputy Prosecutor of the Italian Republic [2012] UKSC 25, it is now established law that the “best interests” of a related child must be regarded as “a primary consideration” for immigration and extradition decisions. However, this...

Convicted of an offence that has caused “serious harm”?

What is it? Why is this relevant? When an immigrant in the UK is considered as a “foreign criminal” things get extremely tough for that person. For start, that person’s existing leave can be revoked solely on the basis of that conviction. In almost all cases that person would be served with a deportation order and eventually be deported from the UK unless that deportation order is later withdrawn or challenged successfully before a Tribunal or...

Security of Tenure and Termination of Business Tenancy

Section 24 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (hereinafter: “LTA 1954”) generally provides a security of tenure for business tenancies. This provides an automatic continuation of tenancies and does not allow tenancies to be terminated by effluxion of time or by landlord’s service of a notice to quit. The security of tenure and termination of business tenancy is a widely contested battleground for landlords and tenants and we see many...

Covid-19, Visa Expiry and Extension – Which Course of Action to Take?

Covid-19 has triggered unprecedented response from the UK Home Office in the sense that it has provided immigrants who has valid leaves, including those living in the UK with visit visas, with an option to have their leaves extended until 31 May 2020 if they “cannot leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to coronavirus (Covid-19)”.[1] This widens the ambit of previous guidance that allowed an extension until 31...

Victory at the High Court – Munim v Rahman [2022] EWHC 2870 (Ch) (21 November 2022)

Lexpert Solicitors LLP is proud to announce its first reported High Court decision in Bailli - https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2022/2870.html. We successfully defended Mr. Munim (aka Salik Bhai), and his businesses - Le Chef PLC t/a Chef online and ARTA Awards Ltd against opposite parties, Hafizur Rahman and Rifat Ahmed. This case started in June 2018 initially as a defamation claim leading to two further claims initiated by the...

Webinar on the new skilled workers sponsorship

Lexpert Solicitors LLP is hosting a FREE webinar on the New Skilled Worker Sponsorship Date and time: 16:00 – 17:00 BST on 08 April 2021 Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/99715428290?pwd=ODNkRHZTb1pxcmQ4QmZZZWl5YXg2dz09 Meeting ID: 997 1542 8290 Passcode: 456556 Eventbrite registration link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/new-skilled-worker-sponsorship-tickets-145575120103 About this Event The NEW SKILLED WORKER route commenced on 1st December 2020...

Various updated Home Office guidances

Tier 4: temporary concessions for Covid-19 - 16/06/2020 Global Talent applications - 01/07/2020 Public funds - 12/06/2020 Administrative review - 17/06/2020Guide AN: naturalisation requirement - June 2020 Fee waiver applications - 18/06/2020 Tier 2 applications - 18/06/2020 Approved English language tests and test centres - 19/06/2020 EU Settlement Scheme caseworker guidance - 24/06/2020Country returns guidance - 24/06/2020 Private and family...

Updated country policy and information notes on Pakistan, Iraq, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Albania

Pakistan Iraq Bangladesh Afghanistan Albania

Guidance for Global Talent Applications submitted on or after 01 July 2020

Click below to view/download the Global Talent Guidance: version 07/2020.

Immigration staff guidance about dealing with extradition in criminal investigation cases – version 6; 2/7/2020

Check out here the updated Home Office guidance on Extradition in Crminal investigation cases.

UKVI guidance on Covid-19: updated on 02 July 2020

Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): travellers exempt from UK border rules Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for UK visa applicants and temporary UK residents Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): bereavement scheme for family members of NHS and health and social care workers

Openness, integrity and trust
Commitment and accountability
Dedication and distinctive service
Expertise and continuous improvement
Equality, diversity and inclusiveness