News

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is proud to announce the launch of a ground-breaking new team of Family and Child Care Law solicitors within Duncan Lewis specialising in representing neurodivergent individuals and their families. They have expertise in assisting clients in cases involving neurodivergence (for example Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia and Tourette Syndrome), learning difficulties, learning disabilities and special needs, in addition to assisting clients who are deaf or hearing impaired and children of deaf adults. The team’s sole focus is to advocate for the rights of neurodivergent clients and their families within Public and Private Children Law proceedings including cases that are legally aided.

Our expert team has been established and is led by Director, Alia Lewis, who works alongside Sheena Vadher and Fauzia Mumani. Alia, Sheena and Fauzia are members of the Law Society’s Children Law Accreditation Scheme and have all achieved a Level 2 qualification in Understanding Autism. They each have the invaluable benefit of personal and professional experience of neurodivergence. Through Alia’s journey of becoming a parent to an autistic child, she has identified areas for improvement within the family justice system in relation to the way cases involving neurodivergence are conducted. Her passion for upholding the rights of neurodivergent people has been the driving force behind her work to increase widespread awareness and understanding, and was the inspiration for establishing this team. Both Sheena and Fauzia share Alia’s passion; their work has an immensely positive impact on the children and families they care so strongly about.

Aside from the dedicated and unique service they provide to their clients, they are also working on securing fundamental changes within the family justice system. In furtherance of this aim, they are in the process of forming a cross-firm working group whose primary aims are:

• To campaign for compulsory training on neurodivergence for all professionals in the family justice system;
• To develop best practice guidance; and
• To implement systemic and practical changes.

We are incredibly excited about the cutting-edge work Alia, Sheena and Fauzia are undertaking in this area, and together they are a powerful voice in support of the neurodivergent community.

Alia Lewis said: “We have worked hard to enhance our existing knowledge and understanding of neurodivergence so that we can provide an inclusive, trauma informed and bespoke service to our clients.

“This approach has had a profound impact, particularly for our neurodivergent clients and the outcomes in their cases. We are wholly committed to working towards improving the experience of all neurodivergent individuals navigating the family justice system in line with disability legislation, to improve access to justice, promote equality and protect human rights.”

Alia Lewis is a director and award-winning childcare law solicitor, leading a dedicated team of solicitors, trainees, and caseworkers committed to providing excellent support to clients during highly stressful times. Passionate about upholding the rights of autistic children and parents within the family justice system, alongside those with other neurodivergent conditions and hidden disabilities, Lewis has established a specialist Autism and ADHD team within the Family and Child Care Law department.

Alia won the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Award for Children's Rights in 2023 in recognition of her ongoing work to transform the way in which cases involving neurodivergence are conducted within the family justice system.

Her expertise covers all areas of family law relating to children, especially in public law (care) cases, deprivation of liberty, and secure accommodation. As a member of the Law Society's Children Law Accreditation Scheme, she is qualified to legally represent children. Her in-depth understanding of neurodivergence and associated conditions enables her to expertly adapt her approach to representing children who are neurodivergent, non-verbal, and pre-verbal. Drawing on personal experience as the parent of an autistic son, Lewis is skilled in using PECS, communication boards, visual timetables, social stories, and basic Makaton. She understands the sensory and other challenges neurodivergent individuals face, making adjustments in her practice to ensure visits are as comfortable as possible for the children and young people involved.

Duncan Lewis Solicitors

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is an award-winning law firm renowned for its exceptional legal services and commitment to social justice. With a history spanning several decades, their team of highly skilled solicitors provides top-tier representation in 25 diverse fields of law, including immigration, family, criminal, employment, and property law. They are  recognised for their unwavering dedication to making justice accessible to all, regardless of financial circumstances. Duncan Lewis Solicitors' outstanding reputation, numerous accolades, including being crowned Law Firm of the Year at the Modern Law Awards 2023, and commitment to advocating for marginalised individuals firmly establish it as a leading law firm in the UK, consistently delivering excellent legal representation.

Contact

For further information or to arrange an interview please the marketing team at marketing@duncanlewis.com or telephone Steve Still on 07305 357329.