News

We are thrilled to reveal the results of our London based practices in this year’s edition of The Legal 500, with nine different practices being ranked at various tiers.

We have maintained our ‘Top Tier’ status for our London Immigration – human rights, appeals and overstay practice with director Toufique Hossain being ranked as a Leading Individual in this area.

Our Court of Protection practice has increased its ranking from Tier 3 up to Tier 2, and also sees director Alex Peebles ranked as a Next Generation Lawyer, meanwhile we have increased our ranking from Tier 4 to Tier 3 in the Administrative and public law practice.

Additionally, housing director Manjinder Kaur Atwal has also been ranked as a Next Generation Lawyer under the Social housing – tenant category.

London also sees a new edition in the form of a Tier 5 ranking for our Personal injury claimant practice.

Our overall success in The Legal 500 this year has been outstanding across the firm, with departments and individuals being additionally ranked in our South East, Midlands, and Wales practice areas.

Our full London rankings and commentaries can be seen below:


Human resources - Immigration - Immigration - human rights, appeals and overstay – Tier 1

“Duncan Lewis Solicitors houses an 'extremely large and effective team of lawyers where all aspects of immigration and asylum law are covered.' The firm has a large judicial review claimant practice, representing vulnerable claimants on immigration and civil liberties. It is well-versed in personal immigration, asylum, human rights and nationality law. The firm handles a significant portion of publicly funded work, handling a range of issues such as detention, bail, deportation, appeals and EC law. The team offers specialist expertise in representing vulnerable clients, such as victims of torture or trafficking, on asylum and detention-related matters, and is regularly engaged on politically sensitive cases…Director Toufique Hossain is an 'inspirational leader' and has developed a 'very talented and committed team'.”

Other key lawyers: Stefan Vnuk; Sulaiha Ali; Krutika Patel; Sheroy Zaq; Lewis Kett; Vilash Gami; Fahad Ansari; Krisha Prathepan; Krishma Bathia; Kawther Al-Aaraji; Raja Uruthiravinayagan; Jamie Bell; Howard Cheng.


Crime, fraud and licensing - Crime: general – Tier 4

“Duncan Lewis Solicitors' 'hardworking' and 'committed' team covers a range of serious crime matters, including cases involving high-value money laundering, fraud, large-scale drugs conspiracies, sexual offences and murder. Hardeep Dhaliwal, Rubin Italia and Nicholas De Freitas share leadership of the practice.”


Human resources - Immigration - Immigration – business – Tier 5

“The business immigration team is instructed by SME clients on PBS matters, sponsorship licence applications and it also represents high-net-worth individuals on Tier 1 entrepreneur and investor visas.”

Other key lawyers: Tamana Aziz; Alex Peebles; Jamie Bell; Fahad Ansari; Lewis Kett


Insurance - Personal injury: claimant – Tier 5

“…Acting against local authorities for slips and trips in public space, road traffic accidents as well as asbestos-related illnesses are some of the team's other areas of specialism. Julie Leslie, whose expertise includes life-limiting injuries, heads the Dalston office; while the team based in Harrow is led by Rebecca Thomas, who has experience in dealing with claims relating to fatalities.”

Other key lawyers: Nilma Shah; Shabana Masood


Private client - Court of Protection – Tier 2

“The group has strength in cases where there is overlap between the Mental Health Act and the Mental Capacity Act as well as deprivation of liberty safeguards. It routinely advises vulnerable clients and their families on best interest welfare decisions relating to residence, contact and medical treatment. It is also skilled at advising on property and affairs disputes in the Court of Protection and the High Court as well as assisting clients and their carers on other issues such as how to receive help from social services. Alex Peebles and Rachel Caswell are the names to note.”

Other key lawyers: Helen Cummings


Private client – Family – Tier 5

“Duncan Lewis Solicitors has a broad range of expertise. It has an established Islamic and Shariah law department that specialises in Islamic divorce and financial settlement. The practice also has considerable expertise in other areas such as representing domestic abuse victims under legal aid to advising on complex financial matrimonial matters. It routinely advises on complex children law matters and deals with emergency applications to freeze parties’ assets in both the High Court and the county courts. The team is also well versed in obtaining female genital mutilation protection orders.”


Public sector - Administrative and public law – Tier 4

“Duncan Lewis Solicitors acts on judicial review claims challenging the treatment of vulnerable groups, with specialist expertise in representing migrants, asylum seekers, detainees, people with disabilities and LGBT prisoners. The team regularly acts on challenges to government policies and bodies including the Home Office, with recent actions concerning the treatment of religious minorities in the prison system and the unlawful detention of migrants.”


Public sector - Civil liberties and human rights – Tier 4

“Duncan Lewis Solicitors has a particular focus on immigration, asylum, migrant workers and refugee rights work, handled by a team of specialists which includes the 'impressive' Toufique Hossain and Zofia Duszynska…Tamana Aziz advises on business immigration and public law expert Jamie Bell is praised for his ability to 'quickly demonstrate care, commitment, openness and warmth'.”

Other key lawyers: Alex Peebles; Fahad Ansari; Lewis Kett


Real estate - Social housing: tenant – Tier 2

“…Manjinder Kaur Atwa l is assisting an assured tenant with defending a possession claim and bringing a counterclaim against a landlord property development company, as well as the sole director of and shareholder in the landlord…Other recommended individuals are Dianne Cowie, James de Vere Moss, Chinedu Orogbu, Bernadette Chikwe and Subbiah Sivapunniyam.”



Find our full list of The Legal 500 rankings at our microsite - http://www.legal500.com/firms/1169-duncan-lewis-solicitors/1725-harrow-england