Duncan Lewis have been shortlisted for Five Awards at the Modern Law Awards 2019 (11 December 2018)

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is pleased to announce that five specialists from our Harrow and Luton offices have been shortlisted in three different categories as part of the Modern Law Awards 2019; Lawyer of the Year, Rising Star of the Year and Paralegal of the Year. Lawyer of the Year Congratulations to Bahar Ata and Toufique Hossain, who both sit as immigration public law directors, leading outstanding teams of solicitors, trainees and caseworkers in applying novel points of law to challenge the decisions, policies and practices of public bodies. Bahar is a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives based in our Luton branch, with a niche practise in immigration and human rights judicial review claimant matters. She has an established practice helping the most marginalised individuals in all immigration public law matters, with a particular focus in unlawful detention claims, as well as challenges against Competent Authority decisions in matters including trafficking, age assessments and removals to third countries under Dublin Regulations. Her undoubted knowledge of Court of Appeal and Supreme Court procedures has enabled her to represent clients in matters where the Supreme Court’s decision has changed the jurisprudence in relation to Immigration Rules in the UK. This measured success continues to raise awareness of the injustices occurring in our society. Similarly, Toufique specialises in publically funded immigration public law leading from our head office in Harrow, alongside newly appointed director, Alex Peebles, and Rohena Wallace as well as immigration directors, Zofia Duszynska, Tamana Aziz and Vicash Ramkissoon. He has successfully built up a team from 6 in 2015 to nearly 50 caseworkers and solicitors today. Despite the numerous obstacles and risks in legal aid work, and the complex and ever-changing nature of immigration law, Toufique and his team have had exceptional legal success in challenging the unlawful policies and practices of the Home Office, often in test cases which bring justice to thousands of the most marginalised and disenfranchised members of our society, predominantly asylum-seekers, many of whom are survivors of torture, sexual abuse and trafficking. Rising Star of the Year Shortly after winning the Legal Aid Newcomer Award at the 2018 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards, we are proud to announce that Lewis Kett has been shortlisted for the Rising Star category. Lewis is a supervising solicitor based at our Harrow office, specialising in legally aided immigration public law. Not long after being admitted as a solicitor in 2016, he became a supervisor of a team of caseworkers in 2017. His considerable abilities as a leader and a lawyer are borne out by an extraordinary portfolio of litigation success which would be impressive for any lawyer, let alone someone who qualified 2 years ago. His achievements include challenges to the Home Office policy on the detention of victims of torture, the lock-in regime, conditions and abuse at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre, solitary confinement in detention, and working to ensure that Afghan interpreters are granted the protection they deserve. Paralegal of the Year In this new Modern Law Awards category, two inspiring practitioners from our Harrow branch have been have been shortlisted; Lottie Hume and Rebecca Carr are named amongst a cohort of young lawyers who are demonstrating an exceptional dedication to their practice. Lottie has already made waves assisting solicitors with a number of notable Judicial Review matters, particularly challenging the lawfulness of detention, decisions to certify asylum claims and decisions to remove asylum-seekers. The positive working relationships she has developed within the firm also extends to a wide variety of external partners, including a number of NGOs such as Women Against Rape, English Collectives of Prostitutes, Asylum from Rape, Bail for Immigration Detainees and Women for Refugee Women. Working closely with Lottie and other members of the public law team, Rebecca is a highly driven, professional and aspiring lawyer, with a real commitment to legal aid work and to representing the interests of vulnerable clients. As a senior caseworker she has assisted on a variety of applications for judicial review in challenges brought against the Secretary of State for the Home Department, including ‘fitness to fly’ challenges, cases involving victims of torture, removals to European countries under the Dublin Regulation, fresh claim refusals and unlawful detention/ false imprisonment challenges. It is this tenacity and determination to succeed which has seen her become a key player within her team, working towards the betterment of the service as a whole. We look forward to attending the awards ceremony on the 31st January 2019 at the Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, alongside our fellow nominees, to showcase and celebrate the excellent work and achievements of legal professionals from all across the UK.