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Joanna Walker, Duncan Lewis

Joanna Walker

Solicitor

Contact Information

Profile / Experience

I am a Solicitor in the Family and Child Care department.

Prior to joining Duncan Lewis, I worked at Philcox Gray Solicitors where I qualified as a solicitor in 2017. I joined Duncan Lewis in 2020. I am part of a dedicated team working under director Adeeba Naseem.

I represent parents and extended family members as parties and intervenors in a variety of public and private children law matters. I have worked on a variety of complex cases involving child abduction, the death of a child and serious allegations of abuse.

My work in public law cases extends from public law outline (PLO) matters to representing parties in care proceedings issued by the Local Authority. I have extensive experience in dealing with cases involving child abuse, substance misuse, domestic violence and mental health concerns.

My work in private law children cases includes all aspects concerning child arrangements such as Section 8 Orders, international relocation and international child abduction. I have represented parents in a number of cases where the child is made a party and a rule 16.4 Guardian is appointed and I have also dealt with many cases involving section 37 directions.

I have worked for parents with neurodiverse diagnoses and on cases concerning neurodiverse children.

I handle all cases with sensitivity and thorough commitment, to help parents and family members achieve the best outcome.

Child Care
My work in public law cases extends from public law outline (PLO) matters to representing parties in care proceedings issued by the Local Authority. I have extensive experience in dealing with cases involving child abuse, substance misuse, domestic violence and mental health concerns.

I have worked for parents with neurodiverse diagnoses and on cases concerning neurodiverse children.

I represent parents of children who are the subject of public law proceedings including Care Order and Placement Order applications. I advise them throughout the court process on the law applicable to these applications, the court process and how they can challenge the application.



Education

  • LLB (Hons) - University of Manchester: 2:1
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (LPC) - College of Law Birmingham: Distinction

Career

  • Duncan Lewis Solicitors (November 2020 - Present)
  • Philcox Gray Solicitors (2015 - 2020)
  • Admitted as Solicitor (2017)

Testimonials

  • "The very 1st few phone calls were hard work. I was on my knees in a desparate situation and a lot of it was just hard to understand. But once in, the level of service, committment, passion and kindness you and especially Joanna provided was amazing. I will be forever grateful." - Jerry (March 2023)

Notable Cases

Court of Appeal

  • Re W (A Child) [2016] EWCA Civ 1051 - Assisted with - Whether the child, who had applied to discharge the care order made in previous proceedings, should be to allowed to instruct her own solicitor in her application. The child had instructed her own solicitor in the original care proceedings. The judge at first instance, ruled the child was not sufficiently competent to be separately represented in the discharge application, that the child did not understand the risks and had insufficient understanding of the issues. The appeal of this decision was allowed with it recorded the judge had given too little weight amongst other things to the child's age and their history of instructing their own solicitor. The application was returned to the lower court to be reheard with the child separately represented.
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