Duncan Lewis Solicitors

duncanlewis.com

Oluwatobi Akinwande

Oluwatobi is a Family and Childcare Solicitor and Supervising Supervisor within the Family and Child Care department at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, based in the Birmingham office. She is an accredited member of the Law Society Family Law Advanced Scheme and has significant experience across both private and public family law matters, acting in cases that are privately funded as well as those supported by legal aid. In private law matters, Oluwatobi has a strong track record in handling domestic abuse cases, successfully obtaining emergency injunctions, child arrangement orders, prohibited steps orders, specific issue orders, forced marriage protection orders and female genital mutilation protection orders. She conducts her own advocacy and has represented clients before judges at all levels, including High Court Judges, Circuit Judges, Recorders, District Judges, Magistrates and Legal Advisers. In public law proceedings, she is highly experienced in care proceedings and regularly advises on Public Law Outline (PLO) review meetings, emergency protection orders, special guardianship orders and supervision orders. She has acted in serious and complex cases involving sexual abuse, non-accidental injuries, forced marriage and honour-based violence, representing both parents and children. Beyond her casework, Oluwatobi is actively engaged in pro bono work and community support. She attends legal advice surgeries, delivers training to professionals supporting victims of domestic violence and parents in children-related matters, and mentors aspiring lawyers. She is a mentor with the University of Law Mentor Scheme and the Tyro Lawyer Plus Programme, and also maintains a legal blog offering guidance to law students. She is a member of Women in Family Law and serves on the committee of the Birmingham Solicitors’ Group. She is fluent in Yoruba.

Adam Bloodworth

Adam Bloodworth is a solicitor in the child care department at Duncan Lewis Solicitors. He specialises in all aspects of family and children law. He has considerable experience resolving issues that stem from the breakdown of a relationship, including; divorce matters, financial matters, protection from harm and matters pertaining to the arrangements for children. In addition to his excellent legal knowledge, Adam brings awareness and understanding to the emotional pressures generated in such a sensitive area of law.

Rupinder Jagdev

Rupinder Jagdev is a Director in the Family & Child Care department at Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ Birmingham office. Rupinder undertakes the majority of her own advocacy and has a varied caseload which includes; injunctions, care proceedings and divorces. She also has extensive experience in public law proceedings and private children law matters which include complex cases concerning non-accidental injuries and interlinked immigration issues. Additionally, Rupinder provides advice and assistance to local refugees on a regular basis.

Anil Jakhu

Anil is a Supervisor and Solicitor specialising in all aspects of children law proceedings and domestic abuse. With over six years’ experience in family law, he is recognised for his expertise in complex and sensitive matters, often involving issues of significant emotional, psychological, and physical risk to children and families. Having secured a scholarship at the University of Law in 2017, Anil began his legal career in family law the same year. Since then, he has developed a nationwide practice, supporting clients across the United Kingdom, particularly following the increased reliance on remote hearings and digital technology since Covid-19. Anil acts in a wide range of private children law disputes, assisting parents and caregivers in obtaining Section 8 Children Act Orders (including child arrangement orders, specific issue orders and prohibited steps orders). He is experienced in cases involving CAFCASS, Rule 16.4 Guardians, Section 37 Orders, S7 Reports, and enforcement or variation of orders. He also advises on legal aid applications in both private children disputes and domestic abuse matters. In cases of domestic abuse, Anil has successfully represented victims seeking urgent protective measures, including non-molestation orders, occupation orders, and female genital mutilation protection orders. His expertise extends to securing legal aid for vulnerable clients in these circumstances. Anil also represents parents, grandparents and extended family members in care proceedings. He is adept at navigating highly sensitive cases involving social services interventions, Section 47 investigations, child protection conferences, PLO meetings, Section 20 agreements, emergency protection orders, interim care orders, care plans, family group conferences, and adoption or placement proceedings. He frequently advises on cases involving allegations of non-accidental injury, sexual exploitation, deprivation of liberty, and secure accommodation. In addition to his casework, Anil has maintained strong links with local charities and community organisations, particularly in Birmingham.

Arti Maini

Arti is a Solicitor and Supervisor in the Child Care Department at Duncan Lewis Solicitors. She qualified as a solicitor in 1996 and, over the last 25 years, has worked in a number of private practices across the Black Country, Staffordshire, Coventry and Warwickshire, and Shropshire. She has represented clients in courts across these regions, as well as before the High Court and the Court of Appeal, including cases with international elements, and has instructed and worked alongside experienced barristers on a wide range of matters. Throughout her career, Arti has represented parents and children, both directly and through their Children’s Guardians, in all aspects of public law proceedings. These include applications for care and supervision orders, emergency protection orders, placement for adoption orders, and adoption applications, as well as applications for contact with children in care, and applications to vary or discharge care or supervision orders and revoke placement for adoption orders. She is also experienced in Rule 16.4 proceedings. Arti regularly advises and represents other family members, such as uncles, aunts, and grandparents, in relation to Special Guardianship Orders where they seek to care for children subject to proceedings. On occasion, she has also represented local authorities. She has handled a wide variety of cases involving issues such as domestic violence, substance misuse, sexual abuse, and non-accidental injury. She has also represented parents and children with educational or mental health difficulties, and has acted in cases involving the Official Solicitor. Arti is also experienced in Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) proceedings, representing parents and children in cases deemed suitable for this process within care proceedings. She recognises the particular challenges of this area of law, given the human emotions involved, the vulnerabilities of both parents and children, and the possibility of permanent separation. She is strongly committed to protecting human rights and strives to ensure her clients are fairly and justly represented, giving a voice to those who may not feel able to speak for themselves. Arti speaks Hindi and Punjabi, enabling her to assist clients in these languages where appropriate.

Darren Middleton

Darren Middleton is a Director of Immigration at Duncan Lewis Solicitors based at the firms' Birmingham office. He is an accredited Supervising Senior Caseworker under the Immigration and Asylum Law Accreditation Scheme. Darren specialises in working with vulnerable individuals and complex cases, including further submissions, and deportation. Darren is experienced in preparing asylum and immigration appeals for the Tribunal. He has provided representation for nationals of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe, who have had their appeals successfully allowed by Tribunal. He has successfully provided representation at the appeal stage where the SSHD has sought to deprive an individual of British citizenship on the basis of deception. Darren is a participant in the Immigration and Asylum Chamber Committee Working Group at the Tribunal in Birmingham, which meets on a periodic basis.

Harriet Phillips

Harriet is a family and child care solicitor at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, based in the Birmingham office. She has experience handling a wide range of family and child care legal matters.Primarily, she represents parents whose children are the subject of care order, supervision order, and placement order applications. She manages care cases on a day-to-day basis and represents clients who have difficulties with mental health, substance misuse, and anger management. She also represents parents who have learning difficulties and tailors her representation to ensure that they clearly understand the proceedings that they are involved in. She has experience of representing parents in cases that concern allegations of non-accidental injuries towards their children, as well as assisting parents when social services initially become involved in respect of their children to work to prevent care proceedings being issued.Harriet's expertise extends to Section 8 Child Arrangement Order proceedings where she represents clients in applications to vary and enforce existing Child Arrangements Orders. She also handles applications for prohibited steps orders and specific issue orders, for instance in applications to take the children on holiday to Non-Hague Convention countries which are dealt with in the High Court. She has had conduct of two complex Child Arrangements matters in the High Court where allegations of radicalisation were made. Additionally, she represents clients in applications for non-molestation orders and in applications to extend existing non-molestation orders. This often involves dealing with vulnerable clients who have experienced significant trauma and whose cultural background can impact on their need for protection.

Henna Sajid

Henna is a family and child care solicitor in the Birmingham office at Duncan Lewis Solicitors. She undertakes her own advocacy representing clients at the family court before district judges, circuit judges and the magistrates. She has considerable experience assisting sensitive and vulnerable clients whilst maintaining a high level of professionalism. She specialises in care proceedings particularly those with local authority involvement; private law proceedings, notably applications for contact and residence; emergency injunctions; divorce; and financial proceedings. She regularly attends local refugees and other organisations in order to provide training, legal advice and my assistance on a monthly basis.

Amritpal Singh

Amritpal joined Duncan Lewis Solicitors in March 2016 as a Caseworker and went on to complete his training contract within the Immigration and Public Law department at the firm’s Birmingham office. He qualified as a solicitor in March 2019 and now practises as a Supervising Solicitor in the Private and Business Immigration department, also based in Birmingham. He began his legal career handling private immigration matters, gaining extensive experience and building strong relationships with clients – particularly vulnerable individuals – as well as leading counsel. Amritpal is known for his adaptability, professionalism and integrity, and is committed to going the extra mile to achieve positive outcomes for his clients. Amritpal has significant experience working with vulnerable clients, including those in detention, individuals with complex psychological issues, and victims of torture and trafficking. He has a particular specialism in challenging the detention of vulnerable clients, achieving successful releases and securing damages on their behalf. He is accredited as a Senior Caseworker under the Law Society’s Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme at Level 2, reflecting his expertise in this field. His caseload includes a wide range of matters such as asylum applications, fresh claims, Points-Based System applications for high-net-worth and skilled individuals, Tier 1 applications, family and partner visas, entry clearance, visitor visas, EEA matters, human rights applications, bail, nationality and citizenship applications, deportation, passport applications, and sponsorship and affidavit matters. In addition, Amritpal has extensive experience in Judicial Review claimant challenges, particularly those relating to immigration, asylum and civil liberties. These include cases involving unlawful detention, Dublin III/Third Country removal, challenges to the Competent Authority, delays in processing immigration and asylum applications, fresh claim challenges and unlawful denial of appeal rights, as well as refusals of Article 8 ECHR family and private life applications. Amritpal is multilingual and fluent in Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and Mirpuri.