This content is provided by Duncan Lewis.
Website: www.duncanlewis.co.uk
CEO: Shany Gupta
Managing Director: Nina Joshi
Practice Director: Jason Bruce
Number of directors (partner-level): 55
Number of other fee-earners (including consultants): 485
CONTACTS
Immigration: Zofia Duszynska
Public Law: Toufique Hossain
Business Immigration: Vicash Ramkissoon
Court of Protection: Alex Peebles
Family/Matrimonial: Krina Parmar
Children Public Law Matters: Laila Bhunnoo
Children Cross-borders: Adeeba Naseem
Housing: Dianne Cowie
Crime: Rubin Italia
Commercial & Corporate Litigation: Anthony Okumah
Clinical Negligence: Rebecca Thomas
Personal Injury: Julie Leslie
Wills, Probate & Tax: Caroline Roche
THE FIRM
Duncan Lewis Solicitors, established in 1998, serves corporate entities and private individuals from offices across England and Wales. With over 700 personnel who collectively speak over 50 languages, staff can best serve the clients and communities they assist. Practicing in over 25 areas of law, they are the largest legal aid practice in the UK with 70% of their client base publicly funded. The firm represents individuals, companies, and corporate entities, including UK and international businesses, and handles claims at all levels of judiciary. Their expertise includes company and commercial law, international trade disputes, commercial property services and business immigration, with Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) available.
PRINCIPAL AREAS OF WORK
Administrative & Public Law: The department specialises in judicial reviews; costs litigation; unlawful detention; immigration removal; prison law claimants; provision of social welfare services, and represents vulnerable clients in detention.
Immigration: Human Rights, Asylum & Deportation: Handling all aspects of asylum as well as judicial review claimant work, emergency orders and other interim relief, the team is experienced in following up judicial reviews with actions for damages and pursuing judicial reviews to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
Court of Protection: The team assists with deputyship applications, powers of attorney (LPA), the welfare of those lacking capacity, financial issues, and disputes relating to LPA and deputyship.
Business Immigration: Assisting in multiple matters including the right to work in the UK and visa overstays, advises on all Brexit-related changes to UK immigration law, and offers SME business clients advice on the Points-Based System, sponsorship licence applications, and immigration strategy/compliance.
Family/Matrimonial: Comprised of Law Society Children Law and Family Law Advanced accredited solicitors, the department specialises in all aspects of family law. They represent domestic abuse victims and handle complex financial matters. There is also an Islamic and Sharia Law team specialising in Islamic divorce.
Children/Public Law Matters: Representing parents, guardians, family members, and children in public law proceedings, the department assists clients in matters involving parents with mental health issues; proceedings concerning children in care, and matters involving abuse; substance misuse; neglect; and factitious and rare illnesses.
Children/Cross-Border Disputes: One of the few firms on the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit (ICACU) referral list, the team handles child abduction cases, wardship proceedings, and cross-border care proceedings.
Housing: Representing landlords and tenants, the team has expertise in possession, disrepair, unlawful eviction, homelessness, succession for tenants, and neighbourhood disputes, and has significant presence in County Court possession duty schemes throughout London. They also handle appeals and judicial reviews relating to housing matters.
Crime: Consisting of police station representatives, and higher court advocates, the team handles cases of murder, rape, gang-related crime, and drug importations. They represent vulnerable clients in insanity defence cases, and conduct motoring law, prison law, actions against public authorities cases, and advise on appealing convictions and sentences.
Commercial & Corporate Litigation: The team advises corporate clients and private individuals in cases where litigation is possible, resolving commercial disputes for UK and international businesses through ADR or court litigation, minimising cost and risk.
Clinical (Medical) Negligence: The team handles claims involving A&E failures, GP negligence, misdiagnosis, and wrongful death. They act for individuals who have suffered injuries due to failings by the NHS or private hospitals.
Personal Injury: The team represents clients who sustained injuries due to accidents at work, abroad, and through traffic accidents. They also act on behalf of victims of fatalities. Practice areas include claims for injuries in public spaces; occupiers’ liability; children’s accidents, and asbestos-related illnesses.
Wills, Probate & Tax: The department drafts and updates wills, obtains grants of probate, and handles disputes and intestacy. They specialise in lasting power of attorney, Court of Protection matters, and mental capacity. They also handle matters relating to contentious and non-contentious tax, including inheritance tax.
Other areas of law covered: Business Crime/Investigation; Charity; Commercial Property Services; Community Care; Debt and Insolvency; Education Law; Employment; Mental Capacity; Mental Health; Regulatory and Compliance Law; Welfare Benefits.
INTERNATIONAL
The international family team handles international divorce, abandoned spouses, cross-border care proceedings, and international adoption, abduction, and wardship in Hague and non-Hague countries. The litigation department handles international banking and finance disputes, contract and commercial law, employment law, international property law, and personal injury claims. Additionally, the wills and probate department advises on international probate.