Maria Bridson is a senior Manx advocate (qualified 2003). After a strong academic background (1st class honours and professional exam distinctions) she trained and worked as a commercial lawyer at a leading commercial firm.
Maria excels at giving clients prompt practical advice on complicated issues.
Maria has unrivalled specialist knowledge of the Island’s immigration legislation and rules as she was formerly employed as the Immigration Legal Officer for the Isle of Man Government’s Immigration Service and Attorney General’s Chambers. She has both drafted the Island’s immigration legislation and provided advice to the Isle of Man Immigration Service and UK Home Office on immigration, nationality and Brexit issues. Maria is recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2021 directory for her immigration work.
Her practice includes advice to individuals seeking to relocate to the Island whether to invest, establish a business or to work. Her clients include High Net Worth Individuals and their dependents, local and international businesses and employers. She also deals with appeals to the Immigration Adjudicator.
Maria is knowledgeable about EEA free movement matters including EEA Residence Permits and can help clients with applications for naturalization or registration as a British citizen. She also assists family members of settled persons to relocate, extend their stay and settle in the Isle of Man under the family migration routes.
As an experienced corporate lawyer, she has broad expertise in general corporate and commercial transactions including investment funds and property financing, mergers and acquisitions and cross-border transactions. Maria can also assist businesses with drafting agreements, the redomicilation of companies, regulatory compliance, shareholder agreements, and advisory work.
Maria is a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association and a panel member of the Isle of Man Criminal Injuries Compensation Panel and regularly gives talks and contributes articles on immigration and Brexit issues.
In her spare time, she is the Chair of the trustees of Isle of Play, an Isle of Man charity.