Adrian Smith

I am a Solicitor in the Housing Department at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, based in Luton. I work under the supervision of Director of Housing, Manjinder Kaur Atwal.

I specialise in matters relating to possession claims, homelessness and unlawful evictions. I have worked on a number of notable cases in both the High Court and the Court of Appeal. I am passionate about social justice and am a member of Young Legal Aid Lawyers and the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers. Prior to working at Duncan Lewis, I spent time working in a secure psychiatric hospital before studying law and qualifying as a solicitor in 2013.

• LPC at Anglia Ruskin University
• GDL at The College of Law
• Psychology and Health Sciences at the University of Liverpool

• Solicitor at Duncan Lewis Solicitors 2017-present
• Solicitor at ARKrights 2015-2017
• Solicitor at Blavo and Co 2013-2015
• Qualified as a Solicitor in 2013
• Trainee at Law Brand 2011–2013
• Paralegal at Ginn and Co 2010-2011

Court of Appeal

• Afonso da Trindade v London Borough of Hackney [2017] EWCA Civ 942 - Important case relating to what can be regarded as unawareness of a relevant fact for the purposes of s191 (2) Housing Act 1996.


• Watts v Stewart and Others [2016] EWCA Civ 1247 - Case challenging the exclusion of security of tenure for occupants of almshouses.

High Court

• Bucknall v Dacorum Borough Council [2017] EWHC 2094 (QB) - Successful appeal in which it was determined that occupiers of temporary accommodation owed the full housing duty under s193 Housing Act 1996 are afforded the statutory protections under Protection from Eviction Act 1977


• Marian Dahir Mohamed v The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Barnet [2019] EWHC 1012 (QB) - High Court appeal which concerning the inadvertent grant of secure tenancies by local authorities pursuant to ss79-82 and Schedule 1 paragraph 6 (b) Housing Act 1985.

• Legal 500 recommended National Law Firm, Duncan Lewis, hires solicitor Adrian Smith to provide new Housing services in Luton and Milton Keynes (18 August 2017)