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Domestic Abuse Lawyers

Awards and Recommendations for the Domestic Abuse and Violence Department
Duncan Lewis - Chambers UK Duncan Lewis - Legal 500

Duncan Lewis' "exceptional" family team with a "stellar reputation" for "going the extra mile" is ranked Tier 1 in The Legal 500 2024. The "go-to recommendation in family law" dispenses advice on the full spectrum of family matters, including international child abduction cases, special guardianship orders, wardship issues, surrogacy and adoption cases, and public law children matters. The "very experience and impressive" team also has "a great deal of experience handling high-net-worth divorces and co-habitation agreements".

Legal 500 2024 Edition.
Family / South East: Beds, Bucks, Herts, Middx; London; Leeds, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire; West Midlands; North West

The "very diligent" and "passionate" Family practitioners at Duncan Lewis Solicitors "have notable expertise in cross-border and multi-jurisdictional disputes." The team is "adept at handling difficult children law matters on both a public and private basis" with "substantial experience in cases concerning abuse, child sexual exploitation and forced marriage."

Chambers UK 2024 Edition.
Family/Matrimonial / Birmingham and Surrounds

Duncan Lewis Solicitors‘ "insightful, supportive and professional" family and child care team are all "highly competent" and provide "excellent legal advice". The team's "greatest advantage is its enormous size and quality of solicitors as well as its diversity of experience across the firm". "It handles all aspects of family law, with particular specialism in representing victims of domestic violence, handling complex divorce matters and securing financial settlement following the breakdown of a marriage. Other strengths include handling complex cross-border matters." The lawyers are ‘"friendly professionals who take the time to understand your case".

Legal 500 2023 Edition.
Family / London

Duncan Lewis Solicitors' "superbly reliable" family law team is one of the largest in the South East. The "professional, personable, and very efficient" family team "handle a full range of family law matters from divorce and financial settlements to pre-nuptial and cohabitation agreements. The firm is particularly skilled at navigating cases of parental conflict involving elements of domestic abuse and parental alienation."

Legal 500 2023 Edition.
Family / Beds, Bucks, Herts, Middx - South East

An "extremely knowledgeable" and "hugely capable" family and child care team. The department specialises in representing clients who are facing emergency situations and frequently supports on child relocation, sexual harm, safeguarding and domestic abuse issues. It runs a culturally diverse caseload and specialises in international child abduction cases in addition to female genital mutilation cases. "They have excellent client service and have a fundamental grasp of the legal issues in complex cases and have the ability to relay that to their clients in an understandable and user friendly manner".

Legal 500 2023 Edition.
Family / West Midlands / Birmingham

The family and child care offering at Duncan Lewis Solicitors "go above and beyond" to ensure the best possible outcome for their clients. The "helpful and friendly" team specialises in domestic abuse cases, and has expertise in forced marriage and FGM. In addition, it advises on complex private children matters, including emergency protection and adoption cases, often internationally. The wider firm prides itself on its cross-cultural awareness, which strengthen its ability to provide support in unorthodox family matters.

Legal 500 2023 Edition.
Family / Yorkshire and the Humber

“Duncan Lewis Solicitors handles all aspects of family law with particular specialism in representing victims of domestic violence, unusual divorces and securing financial settlements following the breakdown of a marriage. It is also skilled at handling the complexities of parental conflict especially parental alienation cases and also has extensive experience in Islamic law. It has, in addition, a particular specialism in advising on female genital mutilation protection orders and has a formidable reputation for its experience in international and domestic family law proceedings at the high court. It receives plaudits for its 'outstanding client care'. The lawyers are 'always compassionate and understanding'.”

Legal 500 2022 Edition.
Family / South East; London; West Midlands; Yorkshire and the Humber

"Family law team handling a wide range of both financial remedy and children work, with notable expertise in cross-border and multi-jurisdictional disputes. Adept at handling difficult children law matters on both a public and private basis, with substantial experience in cases concerning abuse, child sexual exploitation and forced marriage, among other issues."

Chambers UK 2022 Edition.
Family/Matrimonial / Birmingham and surrounds

“Duncan Lewis Solicitors has a broad range of experience and handles all aspects of family law. Key specialisms include representing the victims of domestic violence and assisting clients with securing a financial settlement following the breakdown of a marriage. The team also handles matters such as special guardianship orders, the distribution of business assets and the international movement of children, as well as protecting clients in emergency situations in cases involving non-accidental injury, sexual assault, grooming or forced marriages.”

Legal 500 2021 Edition.
Family / South East

Duncan Lewis Solicitors  is an ‘excellent firm with talented and experienced staff’.

Legal 500 2019 Edition.
Family / London

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is 'a well-established and respected firm that provides a high quality of work in an efficient and friendly way'. Its expertise covers divorce and matrimonial cases, with notable expertise in representing domestic abuse victims under legal aid and mediation, as well as ancillary relief expertise. It also handles public law and cross-border issues concerning children, and has niche shari'ah-law expertise.

Legal 500 2019 Edition.
Family / South East

Duncan Lewis Solicitors has expertise in matrimonial and children cases, with notable strengths in cross-border disputes.

Legal 500 2019 Edition.
Family / West Midlands/Birmingham

'Duncan Lewis' Family and Childcare department is a 'Recognised Practitioner' in the 2019 edition of Chambers & Partners UK for their family/matrimonial work in Birmingham and the surrounds.

Chambers UK 2019 Edition.
Family / Birmingham and surrounds

"Duncan Lewis Solicitors provides legal aid advice on domestic and cross-border child care matters, and also handles private law with a particular niche in forced marriage protection orders, domestic violence and child abduction cases."

Legal 500 2017 Edition.
Family / West Midlands / Birmingham

"Duncan Lewis Solicitors has a large team that ‘covers a broad range of family cases and excels in children’s cases."

Legal 500 2017 Edition.
Family / London

"Duncan Lewis Solicitors has particular expertise representing divorce abuse victims under legal aid and have niche experience in Islamic divorce."

Legal 500 2016 Edition.
Family / London

"Duncan Lewis Solicitors has a very large legal aid practice, and is an ‘undoubted force in international children law’."

Legal 500 2015 Edition.
Family / London

Family Abuse

 

Victims of domestic abuse frequently feel helpless. Taking action against an abuser is a huge step. However, victims of domestic abuse are protected under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (DVCVA) and Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

 

There are several court orders, which were expanded by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, that can protect victims from further abuse and intimidation, including:

  • Non-molestation order
  • Occupation order.

 

Duncan Lewis is a leading provider of Legal Aid Services for victims of domestic violence and can advise on a range of circumstances, including, but not limited to:

  • Domestic violence on children
  • Domestic violence in same sex couples
  • Legal Aid for domestic abuse

 

What is Domestic Abuse?

 

The Domestic Abuse Act came into force on 29th April 2021. The aim of the Act is to increase awareness of Domestic Abuse and, provide additional support to victims. The Act provides a statutory definition of Domestic Abuse, composed of three parts:

  • The perpetrator and victim are both aged 16 or over;
  • The behaviour is abusive; and
  • They have a relationship that makes them ‘personally connected’.

 

Abusive behaviour consists of any of the following:

 

  • Physical or sexual abuse– this may include where one person carries out physical or sexual acts without consent.
  • Violent or threatening behaviour– the perpetrator does not necessarily have to carry out the behaviour, but it is still abuse if it is threatened.
  • Economic abuse– the Act explains that this means any behaviour that adversely effects the victim’s ability to ‘acquire, use or maintain money or other property’ or ‘obtain goods or services’.
  • Psychological, emotional or other abuse– abuse may be verbal and designed to affect the victim psychologically and emotionally.
  • Controlling or coercive behaviour
    • Controlling behaviour is ‘a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour’.
    • Coercive behaviour is ‘a continuing act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish or frighten their victim’.

 

Domestic abuse may involve one or more of the above – and it is vital to seek legal advice on tackling domestic abuse before the situation escalates. Duncan Lewis Solicitors aims to give people a voice. Our lawyers have extensive experience handling sensitive and complex cases, involving vulnerable individuals, whereby you can be sure you are in safe hands.

 

Further provisions within the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 are of particular significance to Family Law proceedings. These include key definitions regarding behaviour that counts as domestic abuse, relationships between parties (under the Act domestic abuse is not limited to romantic partnerships), local authority support, special measures for victims of domestic abuse in family proceedings, and prohibiting expenses for medical evidence.

 

Duncan Lewis Domestic Violence Solicitors – Legal Aid

 

Duncan Lewis offers a confidential, dedicated legal helpline for victims of domestic abuse who can assist in taking legal action to prevent further harm to adults and children in urgent cases where there is immediate risk of domestic abuse and/or child abuse.

 

Victims of domestic abuse – and parents of children who have been subjected to abuse – are usually entitled to Legal Aid if they can show that domestic abuse has occurred, or parents have received a Pre-proceedings Letter from Social Services following a Section 47 enquiry.

 

Evidence of domestic abuse may include:

  • GP letter or letter from a health professional
  • Police crime number or letter from police
  • Evidence from a housing officer.

 

Duncan Lewis can advise further on applying for Legal Aid.

 

Help for Domestic Abuse Victims

Duncan Lewis is ranked and recommended by the Legal 500 UK legal directory for its excellence in Family & Childcare work – and the Duncan Lewis team includes Advanced Members of the Law Society’s Family Panel and members of the Law Society Children Panel – so our solicitors have the necessary expertise to help victims take action to prevent abuse or harassment.

 

For confidential and expert legal help with domestic violence, call the Duncan Lewis Domestic Violence Solicitors on 03337722409.


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