Gemma Lynch

I am a Director of the Immigration Department at Duncan Lewis Solicitors. I have over 10 years’ experience in immigration and asylum matters.

I act for both privately funded clients and those funded by legal aid. I supervise a team of caseworkers who represent clients in a broad spectrum of immigration, asylum and human rights matters.

I am dedicated to representing the most vulnerable in society. I have extensive experience in representing unaccompanied asylum seeking children throughout the asylum process, from their initial claim right up to any Upper Tribunal challenges they may have. In addition to this, I assist with any public law judicial review matters that arise, such as challenges to the Secretary of State for delaying in making decisions on asylum applications and challenges to the Local Authority’s regarding issues surrounding age assessments. I pride myself on representing these children with care and sensitivity whilst providing them with the best possible legal representation. I hold an enhanced DBS which permits me to represent these unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

I have significant experience in representing asylum seekers from Afghanistan from unaccompanied children to high ranking Afghan officials. I also frequently assist clients from Eritrea, Iran and Syria with complex asylum cases. In addition to asylum matters I also have extensive experience in assisting clients with applications based on physical or mental health under Article 3 of the ECHR.

In addition to assisting in a wide range of applications, I also have extensive advocacy and appeal preparation experience. I represent my clients personally in the First and Upper Tier Tribunal of the Immigration Chambers across London and the South East. I have had a significant amount of successful appeals particularly for victims of human trafficking from Albania and unaccompanied children from Afghanistan all of which resulted in grants of asylum.

I am also experienced in dealing with client who have been detained. When acting for detained clients, I am always looking to challenge the decision to detain and regularly pursue immigration bail applications or unlawful detention claims where it is in my client’s best interests to do so.

I am accredited as a Supervisor and Level 2 Senior Caseworker under the Law Society Immigration & Asylum Accreditation Scheme, which allows me to provide specialist legal help for publicly funded work under the firm's legal aid franchise.

• University of Law: Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (LPC): Commendation
• University of Law: Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL): Commendation
• Brighton University: Criminology and Applied Psychology BA Hons: 2:1

• Duncan Lewis Solicitors: Appointed director – April 2022 - present
• Duncan Lewis Solicitors: Supervisor – 2016 – present
• Admitted as a solicitor: April 2015
• Duncan Lewis Solicitors: August 2012- Present

• “I’m really happy with the way my case was handled I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who had an input in my case starting by. Thank you so so much for patience my case lasted for over 5 years but you guys you didn’t give on me thank you so much.” - Client, February 2021
• “From the moment you took my case things have improved , I’ve always felt nice comfortable and safe with you , I’m really happy with the work you’ve done for me and I need to thank you for that.” - Client, October 2020
• “Thank you so much for all the work you did for me may God richly bless you. I’m really grateful.” - Client, September 2020
• “Thank you so much. I wouldn’t be here without your help. I will be grateful to you for the rest of my life.” - Client, July 2020

• Level 2 IAAS Accredited Solicitor
• IAAS Accredited Supervisor

• I am the Secretary of a charity called Playscheme. I spend lots of my spare time working with this charity, organising fund raising events and making new links in the community to expand the charity.

• Duncan Lewis Secures Release of Client in Immigration Detention (11 July 2024)
• Duncan Lewis Secures Significant Damages for Unlawfully Detained Client (9 July 2024)
• Duncan Lewis Secures £40,000 in damages for Trafficking Victim who was Unlawfully Detained (9 February 2024)
• Duncan Lewis secures £35,000 damages award from Home Office for Albanian trafficking victim (14 November 2023)
• Congratulations to Newly Promoted Immigration Director Gemma Lynch (12 April 2022)