Immigration

Jenna joined Duncan Lewis & Co Solicitors on the 1st November 2004 and recently headed the Detention Centre/Fast Track Department. Jenna qualified as a Solicitor in September 2004 and has 7 years post qualification experience. Jenna undertook the examinations for the Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme in February 2005 (before the scheme was implemented on the 1st April 2005) and qualified as both a Senior Caseworker at Level 2 and a Supervisor. Jenna has since been awarded the Advanced Caseworker Level 3 status on the 1st November 2010. Jenna has also passed her IAAS Level 2 reaccreditation exams attainting 81%. Jenna is a Specialist Quality Mark Supervisor and meets the SQM Supervisor standards. Jenna currently supervises a team of Paralegals, Trainees and Solicitors.

Jenna has been working in the Immigration field since 2001 and has 11 years experience specialising in Immigration, over the past 5 years this has included a vast majority of detained and fast track cases, appeals, asylum, general immigration, deportation and judicial review work.

Jenna deals with all aspects of detained and fast track work and has had unprecedented success being able to get cases removed from the fast track scheme either by persuading UKBA or the Court to remove the case by making representations or by lodging a Rule 30 application with the Court. Jenna has successfully represented clients who claimed to be victims of torture or inhumane and degrading treatment and with the assistance of the medical foundation had them removed from the Fast Track Process and also threatened Judicial Review Proceedings where SSHD was not acting fairly in the fast track process and not in accordance with the UKBA Fast Track Policies.

Jenna attends various prisons and immigration detention/removal centres and assists clients with applying for bail and those facing deportation. Jenna conducts her own advocacy representing client's in their hearings before the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal. Jenna specialises in deportation cases; although she also has a caseload of Judicial Review and unlawful detention cases in the High Court.

Jenna represents client's of all nationalities including vulnerable women who have been raped, minors, those with mental health issues, those with medical issues and HIV sufferers.

Jenna is currently taking civil action against Yarlswood Detention Centre who denied one of her client's HIV and diabetic medication for the duration of her stay at the detention centre and also did not provide adequate health care and food. Jenna recently represented a client in the AIT on a bail application facing deportation who had been convicted of killing 2 individuals by shooting them the head. She persuaded the Court to grant bail in principle. During the period Jenna headed the Detention department she was involved in marketing the firm to detention centres/prisons and designing posters. Jenna set up referral arrangements with various prisons. Jenna has provided training to the Immigration Department on ILPA's best practice guides of the detained fast track process and challenging immigration detention. Jenna maintained records for the department and reported to the LSC on the amount of detained and fast track work the firm undertake and the number of successful applications to remove from the fast track process and bail applications made. Jenna undertakes Public Law and Judicial Review work. Some cases she has represented in are reported on EIN and BAILI. The Queen on the application of Zego V SSHD (2008) EWHC 302 (Admin) Case No: CO/11319/2007 The Queen on the application of N V SSHD (2007) EWHC 2577(Admin) Case No: CO/2256/2007 The Queen on the application of Y G (Cambodia) V SSHD 2008 EWHC 1735 The Queen on the application of FB V SSHD (2011) EWHC 2044 (Admin) Jenna is a member of the Judiciary and sits as a Magistrate. Jenna is committed to helping the vulnerable and those in need and provided free legal advice on immigration matters at Hackney Citizen's Advice Bureau for 2 years every Wednesday evening for 2 hours after work.

Jenna has been appointed as a member of the Law Society Immigration Law Committee. The Committee identifies areas of immigration and asylum law and procedure that require reform or review and formulates recommendations for consideration by ministers and officials. The Committee also liaises with and makes representations to ministers and officials, and responds to departmental consultations on immigration and asylum matters generally." Jenna has been involved in a voluntary organisation working as a mentor; mentoring young and ethnic minority individuals who wish to enter the legal profession.