"Nothing succeeds like success!
Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Sheraz Khurram Khan. I am a former journalist. I was born in Pakistan. I have written extensively on the situation of religious minorities in Pakistan for a US based news agency. I have known immigration barrister Mr Jan Doerfel since 2011 when my family had hired his legal services in relation to their asylum and human rights claim. Jan’s representation of my family case resulted in grant of a refugee status for 8 of my family members including my parents.
I contacted Jan a year ago in relation to my application for grant of an Indefinite Leave to remain in the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA).
I applied for grant of ILR in October 2011 but I did not hear from the UKBA even after passage of more than 6 months.
Barrister Jan Doerfel made submissions to the UKBA on my behalf last year and even though Jan in his submissions presented my case to the UKBA in an eloquent, professional, efficient and comprehensive manner my case worker refused my application for ILR in December 2012.
As a result of this unlawful refusal I became highly suicidal but each time Jan spoke to me he encouraged me and told me that he would continue to fight for me until UKBA granted ILR to me. “We would win in the end,” Jan would tell me.
The unfavourable decision had serious negative mental health implications for me and I went from suffering depression to acute suicidal ideation to being hospitalised.
The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in Glasgow fixed February 27, 2013 as the date for a hearing.
On the evening of 26 February 2013 Jan received a phone call from the Home Office Presenting officers informing him they had decided to withdraw.
I did not hear from UKBA for several months and as a result of which my already frail mental health began deteriorating.
I self-harmed myself and attempted to commit suicide on August 16 following which I was hospitalized for several weeks.
Jan Doerfel remained in touch with my family and liaised with the mental health professionals and urged the UKBA to decide my case on papers in view of my mental health condition.
Following Jan’s strenuous efforts my saga came to an end in September this year when UKBA granted me an indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom.
If I had not hired Jan’s services I would probably still be living a life of uncertainty.
I was at the verge of committing suicide and if I had not hired Jan I would probably not be in the world of living today.
I am proud to have known Jan all these years. I would recommend anyone considering hiring a legal representative to hire Jan’s legal services.
Sheraz Khan"
The proof of the pudding is in the eating!
I am Manassi Bernard. It gives me immense pleasure to write this reference for Mr. Jan Doerfel, who in my opinion is one of the best immigration barristers in the United Kingdom.
My family and I had approached Mr. Doerfel in January 2011 after a series of persecutory events forced us to flee Pakistan, the country of my origin.
It was only because of Mr. Doerfel’s unrivalled professionalism, tenacity, unmatched client care and above all his outstanding expertise in immigration-related matters that myself and seven other members of my family were granted refugee status by the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) in September 2012.
Although asylum and immigration cases may take ages before an applicant gets a decision, let alone a favourable decision, we received a favourable decision by the UKBA in just 18 months and my family and I put this down to Mr. Doerfel’s professionalism, his admirable attention to detail and him being in touch with us at every step of our human rights and asylum claim.
I would especially like to mention that because of Mr. Doerfel’s well-researched, detailed and convincing legal submissions the UKBA agreed not to interview any of my family members including myself.
This example in itself is a testament to Mr. Doerfel’s credentials as an accomplished legal representative.
Mr. Doerfel is a formidable advocate and an accomplished legal practitioner who fights for his clients until the very end.
An antithesis to some black sheep in the legal profession, who practice quackery with impunity, Mr Doerfel’s empathy for people in difficult situations in general and for his clients in particular is remarkable.
My family and I were overwhelmingly touched by the care and compassion Mr. Doerfel demonstrated throughout our human rights and asylum immigration claim.
When I hear stories of failed asylum seekers, interminably long delays in cases pending a decision, deportations or stories of people living a life of uncertainty since having made a human rights and asylum case I feel it in my bones that their human right/asylum/immigration claim could have been successful if they had hired Jan Doerfel’s legal services.
I would highly recommend Mr. Jan Doerfel to anyone in need of a legal representative for an immigration case.
In the end I would like to say that it is worth hiring a professional like Jan Doerfel from the outset rather than approach him later after suffering embarrassment at the hands of unprofessional, incompetent and inexperienced people.
Sincerely yours,
Manassi Bernard"
Dear Jan,
The following is a sincere and heartfelt gratitude for your services:
Jan Doerfel was recommended by a friend of mine in London when we decided to seek assistance in securing British passports for our sons. It was a stroke of luck for us that we were able to thus "find" him. Jan demonstrated clear and precise knowledge of immigration matters and was totally familiar with the process. He was able to lead us immediately to the correct pages on the appropriate websites and most importantly for our busy schedules, he was able to decipher the rules and requirements promptly and with precision. He clearly described the documents we would need and then organized and completed our applications for us concisely. He wrote the letters we required and submitted them promptly. What could have taken us months to achieve by ourselves in fact took us only a few weeks without any hiccups due to his diligence. His responses to our many questions were addressed speedily, courteously and thoughtfully. Jan clearly knows the complicated systems involved with the British and Indian authorities, and was particularly helpful in communicating with them on our behalf. Furthermore, his charges were fair and reasonable. We would recommend his services without any hesitation whatsoever.
Dr Surinder Vasdev, USA
"We would like to thank to Jan Doerfel for his great work and support given to my wife and myself during my ECAA3 visa application process under the Ankara agreement.
Jan is a hands on, fully experienced professional and we are so happy to choose his legal expertise.
In the application process we were not aware of many little details which you can't predict on your own or find an answer through the UKBA website. Jan has full knowledge of the application details and guided us so well which was resulted succesfully. He was the secret ingredient of our application :)
We can not recommend Jan enough and Jan, thank you very very much for your friendly approach to us and the help on our application.
Mr Andres Pachon and Emine Mete"
"It is with real pleasure that I would ask you to consider using the services of Jan. Very often when reading a commendation there can be real doubt as to the authenticity of recommendations. I would therefore ask you to contact me using the details that I have supplied below to discuss his eminent suitability that he can bring to your case. I was distraught as to the outcome of unfortunate decisions handed down in judgements relating to my Filipino daughter-in- law. It reached a point where I appealed to the congregation of the church that I worship at saying that my trust in the English Legal system was completely eroded. Jan stood by us and applied himself to our cause and it resulted in a very successful outcome. So when he attended their wedding I made it abundantly clear to all and sundry as I do to you that he was key to their happiness and my renewed confidence in the legal system.
You will find him very approachable and entirely committed to your cause. That he is not the stereotypical barrister might lead you to think that because he does not allow his skill and knowledge to be of more importance than any sense of self importance would warrant, might lead you to underestimate him – such an opinion might mean that you have lost the services of a very strong advocate.
Think of a barrister and you freeze. Talk to Jan and immediately you are with a friend. He will put your case powerfully and clearly with such an advocate your chances cannot be better.
I look forward to hearing from and wish you equal success in the outcome of your own affairs.
Best wishes Michael & Jill Charman
My contact details: Michael John Winston Charman, 34 St Andrews St, Millbrook,
Torpoint, Cornwall, PL10 1BE. Email address: typicallycornish@sky.com, Tel: 01752 829284"
"Dear Jan,
I would like to thank you for the great service provided in preparing my application for further leave to remain under Tier 1 category in the UK. I appreciate your expertise and assistance on questionable points in the application form. Particularly, I am grateful for your support and availability at final stages of compiling the application and support prior to the appointment with the UKBA.
Dmitry Obolskiy" (following a successful application for further leave to remain as a Tier 1 Migrant to the UKBA)
"Khalid and I were extremely happy with the service you provided even working through the late hours to complete our paper work in such a short space of time. Even throughout the hearing I was shocked how professionally you presented our case given the short space of time you had to work on it, which then resulted in a positive outcome.
We wish you all the best for the future and would recommend you to anyone who requires a first class service.
Many thanks,
Rehana & Khalid" (Khalid won his appeal against a refusal of his entry clearance application to join his wife Rehana)
"I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the hard work. Your diligence and legal expertise have given me the hope of a new and bright future as I am soon to be reunited with my children. Many many thanks once again."
Kadhum Al-Bayati (father of three children who won their appeal before the Upper Tribunal against a refusal of entry clearance to join their father)
"It was a very big coincidence that I had met Mr Jan Doerfel and I am very pleased that I have met a lawyer like him. In the past year I received a refusal to my Ankara Agreement visa, and I applied for an appeal to the refusal decision which I received a refusal once again, I will never forget that day he (Jan Doerfel) said to me don’t worry yourself, please trust me, I will get you your visa and he did get me my visa. Mr Jan got my visa back. He worked so hard and he did all that was possible meticulously, he does his work properly and he is an honest person. If ever I may need his services one day then I would have Mr Jan as my lawyer without even thinking. I wish him all the success."
Erhan Atag (who was granted further leave to remain as a businessman under the Ankara Agreement following a successful appeal at the Immigration and Asylum Chamber against a refusal by the UKBA)
"Mr Doerfel is an outstanding barrister who works in good conscience providing honest advice and works very hard to fight for his clients. He is praised by his clients for his conscientiousness. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for Mr Doerfel for dealing with my case. My asylum case has been rejected for several times and only Mr Doerfel’s tenacity working on my case has given me hope. Mr Counsel, I’d like to say: I would like to express my gratitude for your great help. Finally I got a justice. This is the most important event in my life. As a matter of fact without your endeavours it would not have been possible."
Mr Li Wei Zhang (after winnning his asylum appeal following a 6 year legal struggle)
"Thanks to Mr. Jan Doerfel, my adopted son, Mulenga, is with me, and the remainder of his family, and not living alone and unsupported in Zambia . This happy situation followed three difficult court appearances and two appeals against Home Office strong objections to Mulenga’s remaining in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Doerfel’s dedication, support and absolute commitment to our case was unconditional and, throughout all the hearings and appeals, he was readily available, offering advice and encouragement during what was, for us, a most worrying time. With his actions during this lengthy and concerning time, we became to view Mr. Doerfel as a friend and not just Mulenga’s legal representative. I consider Mr. Jan Doerfel to be an exceptional representative for his profession and a dedicated libertarian."
Canon Michael G. Purslow MBE
"Mr Doerfel is an experienced and dedicated Barrister whose legal expertise was clearly manifested in my immigration case. Although my case was very complex, he was able to handle it successfully."
Mr Roger Tannor
"Many thanks for all you have done for me for the past five years I have been in this country."
Marcel Koimon (after receiving indefinite leave to remain)
“Mr Doerfel is my first port of call as a barrister in judicial review proceedings.”
Mr J.Trawally, solicitor
''Jan's international and detailed experience brought a unique dimension to an asylum case we worked on; I was impressed by his vision and drive to advance the client's case.''
Shadia Ousta, Solicitor
“Mr Doerfel is an extremely conscientious and dedicated barrister of exceptional quality who truly cares for his clients and goes to extra lengths for them in terms of additional research and representation.”
Mr Khan, solicitor