Olivia is Head of our US Immigration practice, admitted to practice by the Bar of the State of New York.

Olivia provides strategic US immigration advice to businesses looking to establish or strengthen a US presence and to individuals interested in visiting, working in, or immigrating to the United States of America. She also advises on expatriation and maintaining/relinquishing US lawful permanent residence.

She has extensive experience representing businesses and individuals in the full spectrum of US immigration proceedings, including visa applications and petitions, permanent residence applications, naturalisation applications, removal proceedings, and federal litigation.

Prior to joining Burness Paull, Olivia operated her own award-winning practice, Olivia McLaren, Ltd., in Edinburgh for 10 years. From 2004-2014, she worked for immigration law practices in New York City.

Among other accolades, Olivia has been recognised in Who’s Who Legal for Corporate Immigration Law. She regularly writes and speaks on US immigration and nationality law issues before her peers and the international business community.

She is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), recently sitting on the (National) Department of State Liaison Committee (2024/25), Publications Committee, and Online Course Review Committee. She is also active in the Rome District EMEA Chapter of AILA, serving as Chair of the 2024 Fall Conference Committee and Chair of the Consular Liaison Committee 2024/25.

Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, Olivia is a 2004 graduate of Duke University School of Law (J.D./LL.M. in International & Comparative Law). She obtained her bachelor’s degree in history with high honors from the University of Florida (2001). She also studied abroad at the Duke-Geneva Institute in Transnational Law and the University of Cambridge.

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