About

Provided by Duncan Lewis Solicitors

Duncan Lewis’ award winning Family & Child Care department are experts in the full range of public law child care matters. The department offers representation in all aspects of family and child care law, including care proceedings, deprivation of liberty, culturally complex cases, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and international child abduction.

Our team regularly act for parents, family members and children (through their guardian) in cases involving serious allegations of non-accidental injury and factitious illnesses, sexual abuse, and also assist in cases where a child has passed away due to alleged harm.

Many of the clients represented by our team are extremely vulnerable, including those with mental illnesses, substance abuse issues, and victims of physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

Our nationwide team includes solicitor advocates and law society children panel members, many of whom are also members of the Association of Lawyers for Children and Resolution. Collectively, our children panel members have a significant following of Cafcass guardians and we are proud to be one of the most instructed firms in London by Casfcass.

Duncan Lewis is one of only a select number of firms that are on the International Child Abduction & Contact Unit (ICACU) referral list. Our team also include the founding member of the Child Abduction Lawyers Association.

In 2024, our Family and Child Care department were crowned Team of the Year at the Family Law Awards.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Family/Children Law: Public Law Matters - UK-wide

2
Band 2

What the Team is Known For

Duncan Lewis Solicitors has a reputable family practice which garners praise for its public children law expertise. The department has experience in care proceedings involving mental health issues and FGM, among other complex matters, and is bolstered by additional strength in deprivation of liberty cases. The firm's lawyers frequently act on behalf of vulnerable clients as well as guardians.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Emine Mehmet
2
Emine Mehmet
2
Band 2
Emine Mehmet regularly represents vulnerable clients and third parties in highly sensitive public law cases involving such issues as abuse allegations and mental health.

Emine is an excellent lawyer and works extremely hard for the children she represents. She is reliable, knowledgeable, committed and a pleasure to work with.

Emine has a high attention to detail, understands the brief and is robust. She doesn't step away from ensuring she gets what she needs for the case.

Alia Lewis
3
Alia Lewis
3
Band 3

Alia Lewis is adept at advising on public care proceedings and has a particular focus on cases concerning neurodivergent children. She runs the firm's specialist neurodiversity unit within its child care team.

Alia is a gifted and tenacious lawyer who has a real speciality in representing parents and children who are neurodiverse. She is alive to all their challenges and is a tireless fighter for them.

Alia is a fantastic lawyer who is incredibly well prepared on cases.

Alia is very thorough and efficient, with particular awareness around special needs cases.

Ranked Lawyers at
Duncan Lewis Solicitors

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

UK-wide

Family/Children Law: Public Law Matters

Emine Mehmet
2
Emine Mehmet
2
Band 2
Alia Lewis
3
Alia Lewis
3
Band 3

Members

Provided by Duncan Lewis Solicitors

Adeeba Naseem

Amanda Willmore

Emily Wright

Emily Reed

Emine Mehmet

Emine Mehmet

Head of Department

Forida Hakim

Jane Wilson

Jenine Abdo

Julie McNamara

Kathy Walker

Krina Parmar

Head of Department

Laila Bhunnoo

Mandeep Kaur Benning

Meena Kumari

Rupinder Jagdev

Sarah Peart

Sophie Burchett

Sophie Fernando

Sophie Rayment