“I would like to thank you and in particular Ms Suede for her impressive services as an immigration agent. Ms Suede helped me in a very hard time to have my permanent residence in Australia. She knew exactly what was needed for the case, and she was very organised. She simplified the process and explained it in an easy way to me. Ms Suede was not only acting as a lawyer, but she also gave morale support and good advices during the processing period and was indeed like a psychologist that helped me a lot during my hard times.

I would like to thank you once again and I would recommend your firm to anyone needs an assistance.”

(The name of this client is not published, at the client’s request)

“I heard that Brett Slater was a good lawyer. I had seen other senior immigration lawyers and they said my case had no hope. Brett agreed to take my case on. He put his team to work. Bit by bit they strengthened my case. When Brett was talking to the member at my Tribunal hearing, I could see the member nodding, at that moment, I thought I might win. A few weeks later, that is what happened.

For the rest of my life, I will always be very grateful for Brett Slater’s hard work.”

“I had mistakenly let my student visa expire one day before I had applied for my next visa: a temporary medical practitioner’s visa. After visiting the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) on March 16, 2006. I was informed that I had become unlawful. I was also informed that not only was it uncertain whether the DIMIA would consider my visa application; it was also uncertain whether I would even be able to keep my job at Campbelltown Hospital. The DIMIA representative gave me several options none of which seemed to be that helpful. In the worst case, it was suggested that I would need to leave Australia and apply as an offshore applicant. However, there were no guarantees that I would be able to legally return to Australia. I definitely did not feel I had the knowledge to handle the situation alone and luckily a friend of my Australian girlfriend’s family knew Brett Slater and highly recommended him.

The next day, a Friday, I phoned Brett early in morning and after explaining the urgency of my situation, I was given an appointment with Brett at noon the same day. By the end of our first consultation, I was already beginning to feel less stressed. Brett took a detailed history of my situation and was able to clearly explain the supporting law. He was also able to confidently advise me of the available options and even suggest the likelihood of success of each option. To Brett’s credit, he never suggested an option that was unethical, or one that could have compromised my professional reputation. In support of Brett’s dedication, on what already seemed like a busy day for him, he even made time to meet me a second time that Friday after 5pm. By the end of that conference, we agreed upon a plan that not only allowed me to stay within Australia while my application was considered but also one that agreed with my finances.

By Tuesday of the following week, Brett had already sent a detailed letter to the DIMIA, explaining my situation and addressing each of the relevant aspects of the law. By the following Monday, Brett had phoned the DIMIA to further understand the requirements of my unlawful bridging visa and to make personal contact with the representative handling my application. By Wednesday of that same week (exactly 12 days after I visited Brett for the first time), my temporary visa was granted! I cannot explain the relief I felt, as I was able to keep my job and even begin working on my original starting date of April 3, 2006.

Throughout this process, Brett never gave me false reassurances about how quickly he was able to help my situation turn around. He explained that it could have taken weeks to months. However, the fact that he was so comfortable with law and worked in such a timely manner helped me feel very confident about his ability. It also became clear, that there was some undefinable aspect of his service that I could never have achieved on my own. Having worked with the DIMIA so many times previously, he knew what they expected in that letter. He also knew how best to communicate with them and when. Lastly, having worked in the industry for so many years, the DIMIA probably knew to take his correspondence seriously and to act on it quickly. For this and everything above, I am very grateful for Brett Slater’s time and hard work.

In summary, I highly recommend Brett Slater to help with your immigration problem. He was professional, dedicated, timely, friendly, ethical, thorough, reasonable, and affordable and the other solicitors in his office were also very friendly and supportive.”

“I have no hesitation in recommending Brett Slater Solicitors to anyone who is in need of legal assistance with immigration matters. At a time when my family and I had almost lost hope, I was introduced to Mr Brett Slater by a friend and after my disappointing appointment with another legal firm I was rather apprehensive and tensed about what may arise (out) of my first consultation with Mr Slater. To my relief, Brett showed immense patience and absolute professionalism which inspired my confidence from the very first appointment. Under his competent guidance and distinctly clear instructions, we were able to produce the needed documents.

Brett and his team helped our family to put forth our arguments in a logical and clear-cut manner that won my case in the Tribunal and today my family, my aging parents and I, are able to be free of a lot of stress, thanks to Brett Slater and his team, especially Monica and Simon.”

“My immigration case had to be put together and presented in a very short time, a matter of days. During this period I was given full attention and the progress was well communicated to me. It has to be said that there were many unusual aspects to my case, yet Brett Slater Solicitors used their skill and wide knowledge to unearth an excellent strategy.

I was very impressed by the professionalism shown and the level of detail put into my case. When I delivered my case to the Department of Immigration in Melbourne, they commented to me that it was the best case of its kind that they had ever received. This was proven in the prompt positive results achieved. I highly recommend Brett Slater Solicitors. If I ever need assistance on any matter in the future, I shall be glad to be of benefit of their excellent services again.”

“[The firm] were open and honest from the start. I had discussed my needs with two other solicitors who were quite negative in their appraisal. Brett impressed me because he did not give me false hopes. He explained the difficulties and the costs in language I could understand. At all times I was kept informed of progress and expected outcomes. My queries were answered promptly. My phone calls returned mostly within an hour. I know it is a busy practice but I always felt that I was a valued customer.

I cannot talk too highly of the service I received. My result was positive but even had this not been so I could be sure that the practice had worked tirelessly and diligently on my behalf. Thank you Brett and Katerina.”

“Brett Slater Solicitors acted for me in respect of an application by my adopted daughter in China for permanent residency in Australia.

I was very satisfied with all aspects of the legal services provided by Brett and by the skill, competency and professionalism demonstrated in achieving a successful outcome for my daughter. The application and consent by the Department of Immigration was completed within 9 months at very reasonable cost.

I can recommend Brett as a highly regarded lawyer and as a specialist in Immigration law & procedure without qualification. Brett is a very skilled and competent lawyer.”

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Brett Slater Solicitors for your dedicated service to my case. Without your efforts things would most definitely be different for me right now and in the future. From the moment I took you guys on you showed me nothing but professionalism, dedication, and you were more than knowledgeable about every possible direction my case could go. My only regret is not finding you guys from the very beginning. I made a poor decision to go with another firm before I found you guys, and the difference between Brett Slater Solicitors and that first firm was night and day. Brett Slater Solicitors had a dedicated team of lawyers that had a plan from the day I presented my case to them. From that first day my confidence in my case grew everyday until the positive decision was finally made from immigration. It was a trying time in my life and your team was always on point for me. Brett Slater and his team pride themselves in experience counting most. His team exemplified experience throughout the entirety of my long case. They remained in constant contact with me and always let me know what the game plan was. They then went out and executed it to perfection. There are certain things in life that a person should spare no expense with. Hiring a legal team to represent your future is one of them. Take it from me, it would be unwise to go anything but Best of Breed when in need of a migration lawyer. In Australia, Brett Slater Solicitors IS Best of Breed.

To Brett, Ruwan, and the rest of the team; I cannot thank you enough for your service and dedication to my case, and I will not hesitate to point those in need of your services to the right office.”

“During a period of eight years working in China we met and began a relationship with ten year-old orphan Wang Xiang (later named Deborah Ann Dousset). Deborah had been abandoned to the Chinese welfare system at three weeks of age. We began fostering Deborah in November 2005, a day after her 14th birthday.

Following two failed adoption attempts and an appeal in China (due to an overage situation), we returned to Australia with Deborah joining us on a six-month tourist visa. The intention was to extend Deborah’s visa until such time as we could arrange permanent residency for her. Unfortunately when we tried to extend the visa we were informed that it was marked with a code which essentially meant it could not be extended.

With the visa expiry date approaching and the prospect of Deborah becoming an illegal alien, we searched the internet for a specialist immigration lawyer and our enquiries eventually took us to the website of Brett Slater Solicitors.

We were most impressed with Brett’s qualifications based on his 19 years as an immigration lawyer, and his website claim that, “There are many lawyers and many migration agents, but only one lawyer in 800 is an accredited specialist immigration lawyer. Accreditation takes eight years or more, and Brett has been accredited since 1995.

We met with Brett and he outlined his firm’s strategy of submission and appeal on several different levels, and indicated that there may not be a result for three or four years. On expressing our initial fears that Deborah would have to return to China while her future with us was being determined, Brett advised that he would immediately apply for a bridging visa and that Deborah would be allowed to stay with us during the whole process.

We were impressed right from the start with the competence and persistence of Brett and his colleagues with whom we had dealings over time. They were very warm, understanding and supportive of our situation, our obvious love for Deborah, and our desire to have her live with us forever.

We were kept up to date with the progress of our case every step of the way, and explanations of interpretation of the various laws and regulations pertaining to our case were simplified for our understanding.

We were most impressed with the depth of submissions to the Department of Immigration & Citizenship on Deborah’s behalf, and the amount of supporting information made available for Deborah’s immigration interview.

Three months after we were told to prepare for up to a four year wait for an outcome to Deborah’s situation, and only a week since her Sydney immigration interview we were advised of a successful outcome to her case. Deborah was granted permanent residency in Australia and access to Australian citizenship in four years time (under current legislation).

Our case, like many of those we read from Brett’s website, was very complex. To have achieved such a wonderful outcome in such a short period of time is testimony to the hard work, dedication and professionalism of Brett and his staff. The facts speak for themselves.

We would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending Brett Slater Solicitors to anyone seeking assistance in more complex immigration cases.”

“I would like to recommend Brett Slater Solicitors because without them my wife and I would not be together today. I firmly believe that Brett and his staff were crucial to my wife obtaining her visa and critical to us surviving and dealing with our separation and the process of reuniting us.

Brett at all times had a clear view and understanding of our situation and all that he said and recommended to us proved to be completely correct.

I believe our case was unusual and complex but Brett and his staff were able to deal with all issues as if they were everyday issues. Brett and his staff were at all times highly professional, but what gave us the most confidence was the obvious commitment on the part of Brett to ensure a successful outcome. We felt that this was something that could not be bought.”