I am a Supervisor and Solicitor in the Public Law department at Duncan Lewis Solicitors. I am based at the firm's City of London office managing a team of caseworkers and trainee solicitors in the Public Law department.
Our team predominantly handles legal aid-funded actions against the government, including;
- Habeas corpus (unlawful detention claims)
- Urgent and out-of-hours applications for interim relief (removal & deportation cases, urgent asylum support, child support and social services support challenges)
- Challenges to government policy
- Challenges to non-appealable government and public authority decisions & determinations
- Renewals
- Actions in the county court (historic false imprisonment litigation)
- Cart judicial reviews
I am highly experienced in managing public law matters, including submitting applications for emergency and substantive legal aid applications, instructing counsel, preparing applications for judicial review to challenge removals, applications for the re-consideration of both asylum and trafficking matters, and applications for unlawful detention. We also undertake a wide range of other referrals and challenges in the High Court Administrative Division.
I attend oral permission hearings and full judicial review hearings at both the Upper Tribunal and High Court in support of counsel. I am also experienced in dealing with urgent actions, drafting and negotiating consent orders, and am experienced in negotiating part 36 offers to settle, with a track record of obtaining favourable out-of-court settlements for clients. I have attended conferences with counsel, handled expert witness evidence and have instructed both counsel and expert witnesses.
I have extensive experience in private immigration matters and legal aid asylum/Human rights work, such as asylum claims and appeals, fresh asylum claims, immigration bail applications and EU settlement. I have attended hearings at both the First-tier Tribunal and the Upper Tribunal and I have rights of audience to represent client's in the First-tier Tribunal.
I am also have experience in dealing with family and child care proceedings.