Immigration

Shahida qualified as a Solicitor in October 2003 and joined Duncan Lewis in October 2005 in the Immigration department. She now heads the Detention Centre/Fast Track team within the Immigration department at the Hackney office. Shahida has gained unique experience in immigration law prior to qualifying as a solicitor in 2003, and has worked for the Home Office in Croydon as a Supervisor in the Asylum Screening Unit. Shahida has also worked as a Home Office Presenting Officer where her role involved attending the Immigration Tribunal to represent the Secretary of State in immigration appeals. Shahida has gained experience and knowledge of the internal structures and procedures of the Home Office.

Shahida has been specialising in Immigration law since qualifying as a Solicitor in 200 3 . She is qualified under the Law Society’s Immigration & Asylum Accreditation Scheme as a Senior Caseworker and Supervisor, which allows her to specialise in Immigration & Nationality law and provide specialist legal help for publicly funded work under the firm’s Legal Services Commission franchise.

Shahida specialises in fast track and detained cases, which includes visiting vulnerable clients in prisons who have been convicted of criminal offences and detention centres where clients are facing deportation. Shahida assists with representations to the Home Office; preparing, lodging and representing appeals to the Asylum & Immigration Tribunal. Additionally, she attends on the Harmondsworth and Yarlswood Fast Track Scheme and this involves representing detained clients with their asylum applications. Shahida also advises clients on their rights to make a bail application and assisting them in securing release from immigration detention.

Shahida is fluent in both Urdu and Punjabi languages.