James Packer

Practice Areas

James Packer is a Director of Public Law at Duncan Lewis Solicitors. He litigates across a broad range of areas relating to immigration, asylum and human rights. He regularly conducts test cases at the highest level concerning issues that involve; access to the Courts, unlawful detention, enforced removals from the United Kingdom, and challenges to decisions to refuse legal aid. James has extensive experience of cases which have been decided in the Administrative Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, and he has also brought successful challenges to the European Court of Human Rights. James has experience across the board in challenging detention on all sorts of bases. Additionally, he has brought innumerable challenges to detention based upon claims for asylum and trafficking issues. James is frequently called upon in relation to; technical challenges to the powers of a court; adverse costs and other disciplinary communications from the Court.

Career

Duncan Lewis Solicitors (2002-present)

Professional Memberships

Solicitor Advocate – Higher Rights of Audience (civil)

Level 3 (Advanced) Immigration & Asylum Scheme

Administrative Court User Group

ILPA

Publications

James writes articles for the leading immigration law blog, Free Movement. He also writes for other outlets including a leading article for the Solicitor’s Gazette. James has edited countless articles by other solicitors for publication, and he contributed the chapter on costs in the leading textbook ‘Criminal Judicial Review’ ed. Piers Von Berg. He assisted in editing the e-book Costs in Immigration Cases (Colin Yeo).

Work Highlights

Chelvan v Upper Tribunal - test case on wasted costs powers of the Tribunal. Settled after the Court of Appeal granted permission to appeal.

Abdulhamid & Ors - a group of cases that successfully challenged the Upper Tribunal’s practice of striking out judicial review claims for a minor infringement of the rules - related cases in the Court of Appeal on statutory appeal and in the Administrative Court. The Tribunal amended its practice, and the cases all settled prior to final hearings.