‘It’s a more complex world today — the high net worths have become a political game,’ says Gherson. The Johannesburg-born, UK-educated lawyer founded his immigration practice in 1988, and quickly accumulated a large Asian clientele in the post-Tiananmen years, spending weeks at a time in Hong Kong helping HNWs emigrate before the handover to Chinese rule in 1997. He cracked the Russian market in 1992, another major break for a nascent firm.
‘A lot of people thought I was crazy,’ says Gherson. ‘I thought there was a market and I took the chance.’ The risk paid off: today, the firm stands as an established immigration heavyweight that includes sportsmen, musicians, entrepreneurs and investors among its international HNW clientele. Its founder is widely regarded as a sage of the field.
‘Politicians are playing a very dangerous game by continually attacking [HNWs] who produce a huge amount of wealth and investment for this country… and it’s been proven these attacks lead to a reduction in revenue.’
Gherson qualified as a solicitor before specialisation was the norm and continues to find use for his experience in commercial, property, tax and litigation cases. He has particular expertise in immigration tribunals, High Court judicial reviews and cases at the European Court of Human Rights.
Roger Gherson