Mr James Packer > Duncan Lewis Solicitors > Hackney, England > Lawyer Profile
Duncan Lewis Solicitors Offices
1 KINGSLAND HIGH STREET
DALSTON, HACKNEY
LONDON
E8 2JS
England
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Mr James Packer
Work Department
Public Law
Position
Public law director, James Packer, litigates across a broad range of areas and regularly conducts test cases concerning issues that involve; access to the courts, unlawful detention, enforced removals from the UK, challenges to decisions to refuse legal aid and associated litigation. He also has a specialist practice in complex immigration cases, especially for high net worth and high profile individuals and is frequently involved in appealing costs decisions, often to the Court of Appeal.
James has extensive experience in cases which have been decided in the Administrative Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. He has also brought successful challenges to the European Court of Human Rights. He also handles tribunal advocacy work and has a significant practice in Upper Tribunal and Court of Appeal cases.
In a judicial review against the Lord Chancellor, James was part of the team at Duncan Lewis that successfully challenged the blanket refusal to provide legal aid funding for judicial reviews where permission was refused on the papers. The result will assist legal aid providers representing some of the most vulnerable in society and should in turn enhance access to justice.
James has experience in a wide variety of judicial review litigation including; a challenge to a decision to impose a planning levy on a development; challenges to decisions by the Secretary of State for Justice to recall prisoners released on licence; challenges to the continuation of police bail, and a successful challenge to a decision by the SRA to simply send a ‘letter of advice’ to his client’s former solicitor. James also handled a challenge to the removal of a parking place for a disabled self-employed person, a challenge to a refusal to amend a Statement of Special Educational Needs, and challenges to local authority assessments such as housing and social security entitlements of various types.
James provides accredited training for ILPA, HJT and AMT.
Career
James initially trained as a barrister and was called to the Bar 1999. He joined Duncan Lewis Solicitors in 2002 and cross-qualified as a solicitor 2006. In 2008 he was made a partner-level director.
Languages
French.
Memberships
James is accredited as a Supervisor and Level 3 (Advanced) Senior Caseworker under the Law Society’s Immigration and Asylum Scheme one of only a small number of practitioners across England and Wales to hold this quality mark. He is also a member of ILPA and the Administrative Court Users’ Group.
Education
James obtained his LPC in 1998 and has a BA (Hons) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE).
Lawyer Rankings
London > Public sector > Civil liberties and human rights
(Next Generation Partners)The civil liberties and human rights group at Duncan Lewis Solicitors is a ‘behemoth in the legal aid sector’, and is noted as having a ‘particular specialism in migrants’ rights cases.’ Toufique Hossain is a key contact in this regard, with his practice remaining committed to fighting for the right to liberty and refuge from persecution. James Packer is another influential member of the team, regularly involved in test cases concerning access to the courts, unlawful detention and forced removals from the UK.
London > Public sector > Administrative and public law
Duncan Lewis Solicitors has established a well respected judicial review claimant practice, representing a spectrum of vulnerable claimants in cases relating to human rights, prison, mental capacity and social welfare issues. The team has recently been representing clients in the lead challenge to the SSHD’s Rwanda policy, with Ahmed Aydeed being a key contact on that front. James Packer is director of the public law department and litigates across a broad range of areas, while immigration specialist Toufique Hossain regularly represents vulnerable individuals, including asylum seekers and victims of torture. Rohena Wallace is also highly recommended.
London > Employment > Immigration
With a niche specialism in immigration judicial review cases engaging human rights in relation to removal, unlawful detention, suitability of immigration accommodation, and civil liberties, Duncan Lewis Solicitors leads in many of the most high-profile challenges of government departments and decisions. Asylum, protection, deportation, and modern slavery are among the firm’s other strengths in this area, and Toufique Hossain is a leading figure in this work. The firm has a large and capable team, with James Packer, Ahmed Aydeed, Bahar Ata, Claire Ryan, and Rohena Wallace all noted for their expertise in this area. Tamana Aziz heads the firm’s business immigration practice, and is ‘a fountain of knowledge and experience’, with a practice which straddles individuals and businesses with particular experience in complex appeals, applications under EU law, and training in immigration issues. Aziz works alongside Vicash Ramkissoon who works for international businesses and HNW individuals.
Lawyer Rankings
- Next Generation Partners London > Public sector > Civil liberties and human rights
- Administrative and public law London > Public sector
- Civil liberties and human rights London > Public sector
- Immigration London > Employment
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > Debt recovery
- Real estate > Social housing: tenant
- Public sector > Administrative and public law
- Public sector > Civil liberties and human rights
- Private client > Court of protection
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Crime: general
- Private client > Family
- Employment > Immigration
- Insurance > Professional negligence