ITN Solicitors > London, England > Firm Profile

ITN Solicitors
19-21 Great Tower Street
London
EC3R 5AQ
England

Crime, fraud and licensing > Crime: general Tier 3

The crime department at ITN Solicitors is described as a ‘fantastic team‘, with the ‘brilliantItpal Dhillon heading the practice. The department has particular expertise on protest cases, terrorism, and national security matters, with Simon Natas providing proficiency on joint enterprise and protest cases as well as rights of assembly. Name partner and ‘fantastically smooth operatorNadeem Thanvi specialises in cases of organised crime, fraud, and homicide, while Hilary Doherty is the recommended name for serious and historic sexual assault allegations.

Practice head(s):

Itpal Dhillon

Testimonials

‘ITN Solicitors are one of the top criminal firms nationwide, with particular specialism in high-profile fraud and protest. A fantastic team of brilliant lawyers.’

‘Nadeem Thanvi is a fantastically smooth operator, who encourages his team to get the best results. Simon Natas is on the front line of criminal protest cases and knows his subject inside out. Itpal Dhillon is just brilliant. Great with clients, hard-working, smart, and wonderful to work with.’

‘They are supportive and positive in their dealings, and also importantly polite and considerate.’

‘Simon Natas – clever, personable and effective.’

‘They were a delight to work with.’

‘Nadeem Thanvi is a class act. He has an excellent knowledge of the intricacies of terrorist charges. He has an astute tactical knowledge of the nuances that apply during terrorist trials. And he was a pleasure to work with.’

‘In an age of cutting corners, Nadeem’s approach to case preparation is old style, spending time & effort getting to know the issues of importance to his clients and working determinedly to achieve the best outcome.’

Public sector > Civil liberties and human rights Tier 3

The civil liberties group at ITN Solicitors has continued to expand its reputation for work related to national security issues, policing and protest regulations, and prisoners’ rights, acting for a broad range of private and third sector clients. William Kenyon heads up the practice and has a proven track record assisting British citizens who have been detained oversees. Lochlinn Parker departed for Good Law Practice in May 2023.

Practice head(s):

William Kenyon

Testimonials

‘William Kenyon is doggedly diligent and committed to his clients. He is calm and organised in his conduct of litigation and able to liaise with a team of counsel (and other firms of solicitors) seamlessly.’

‘William Kenyon is a phenomenally hard-working lawyer. He puts real time and care into thinking through all the issues on a case and is utterly committed to doing the best for his client.’

‘ITN’s civil liberties and human rights practice has a strong national security and serious crime element.’

‘William Kenyon is a highly astute lawyer who grasps difficult legal problems and issues quickly, and proposes simple, straightforward solutions. This is a particular skill in the context of measures deployed for national security reasons where the legal framework is vague, which relies on lawyers taking the initiative to protect clients’ rights.’

‘Fantastic cross-over experience in criminal and public law. Experts in protest law.’

‘ITN is the place to go for civil liberties and human rights issues if you are bringing a claim. It is synonymous with civil liberties and human rights and has an established practice of bringing interesting and groundbreaking legal claims.’

‘William Kenyon is incredibly intelligent, which he deploys in bringing challenging and high-profile claims. He is charming, meaning clients go back to him. If you have a civil liberties or human rights act claim, you can’t get better than William Kenyon.’

Key clients

XR Greta

The App Drivers and Couriers Union (“ADCU”)

C15 and other SIAC

Smart v SSJ

Work highlights

  • Acted in a novel application for habeas corpus on behalf of a client who is being detained indefinitely in a detention camp in North East Syria by the Kurdish authorities.
  • Acting for a client seeking to review the decision to impose and maintain obligations imposed on him pursuant to his Temporary Exclusion Order.
  • Act for a large number of XR activists who were allegedly unlawfully arrested at significant XR protests.

Employment > Immigration Tier 4

ITN Solicitors has a particular strength in handling deportation cases, working closely with the wider firm’s crime department, and a track record in matters engaging national security, asylum, judicial review, and vulnerable clients. Practice head Syed Naqvi has a ‘high level of care and skill in advancing his client’s interest‘ on top of his significant experience in complex contentious immigration work, having worked on a number of cases before appellate courts.

Practice head(s):

Syed Naqvi

Testimonials

Tenacious lawyers who really care about their clients.

ITN clients know that they will go that extra mile for them.

The work of Syed Naqvi shows a high level of care and skill in advancing his client’s interest.’

Work highlights

  • Advised Mr Mujahid in his test case where the Court of Appeal held that refusal of ILR did not amount to refusal of human rights claims.

Public sector > Administrative and public law Tier 5

ITN Solicitors is particularly renowned for its public law expertise in the areas of national security, prisoner’s rights, immigration detention challenges, and policing and deaths in custody. William Kenyon is the public law supervisor and head of prison law; he acts in numerous public law challenges and has particular strength in matters concerning detention. Lochlinn Parker departed for Good Law Practice in May 2023.

Practice head(s):

William Kenyon

Testimonials

‘William Kenyon is doggedly diligent and committed to his clients. He is calm and organised in his conduct of litigation and able to liaise with a team of counsel (and other firms of solicitors) seamlessly.’

‘William Kenyon is a phenomenally hard-working lawyer. He puts real time and care into thinking through all the issues on a case and is utterly committed to doing the best for his client.’

‘ITN’s administrative and public law practice has a strong national security and serious crime element.’

‘William Kenyon is a highly astute lawyer who grasps difficult legal problems and issues quickly, and proposes simple, straightforward solutions. This is a particular skill in the context of measures deployed for national security reasons where the legal framework is vague, and relies on lawyers taking the initiative to protect clients’ rights.’

‘Great crossover strengths in crime and civil liberties.’

Key clients

C4 Habeas Corpus application

ADCU – Uber Challenge

C15 and other SIAC cases

Individual subject to polygraph (‘lie detector’) licence condition

Simon Smart – Category A Security Review Challenge

Injunctions

QX – TEO Challenge

Work highlights

  • Acting in an application for habeas corpus on behalf of a client who is being detained indefinitely in a detention camp in North East Syria by the Kurdish authorities.
  • Representing a  client seeking to review the decision to impose and maintain obligations imposed on him pursuant to his Temporary Exclusion Order.
  • Representing several individuals in appeals before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, in respect of the deprivation of their citizenship on national security grounds.

Private client > Family Tier 6

Mitali Zakaria heads the family law offering at ITN Solicitors, which ‘provides an excellent service for clients in some very difficult and sensitive areas of law’. It also frequently handles a variety of private law children matters and financial remedy cases. Other core areas of expertise span across domestic abuse cases, forced marriages, and sensitive mandates regarding radicalisation, neglect, and substance misuse.

Practice head(s):

Mitali Zakaria

Other key lawyers:

Sajidah Khan; Somia Siddiq; Androulla Nicolaou

Testimonials

‘They are an excellent firm who are efficient in responding to any queries I have and provide an excellent service to their lay clients. They really go the extra mile for their clients.’

‘Mitali Zakaria is calm and efficient and has a good understanding of the law. She is particularly good at representing teenagers who want to separate from the Children’s Guardian and has given lectures on the relevant tests. An excellent solicitor.’

‘Sajidah Khan and Somia Siddiq are both very good solicitors, particularly in representing vulnerable mothers, whether it is due to their age or other vulnerabilities.’

‘ITN solicitors offer clients unparalleled experience in the children law field and public law children proceedings in particular. The firm’s criminal and immigration departments mean that the family solicitors can consult them when immigration and criminal issues come up in family cases.’

‘Somia Siddiq is a standout solicitor and I would recommend her most highly. She is currently co-chair of the Association of Lawyers for Children and is vastly experienced in children law work. She is incredibly hard-working and a very talented lawyer.’

‘They provide excellent service for clients in some very difficult and sensitive areas of law e.g. public law- children. They combine professionalism with understanding for vulnerable clients.’

‘I have a high regard for Mitali Zakaria’s knowledge of family law and her ability to look at the wider welfare issues.’

‘Mitali Zakaria is shrewd and a fantastic legal strategist. Somia Siddiq is always legally on point and very much aware of developments and research. Androulla Nicolaou is similarly a pleasure to work with, and is excellent at collaborative working to achieve the best results for her clients.’

Work highlights

  • Represented a father in care proceedings which involved allegations of fabricated illnesses against the mother and a Deprivation of Liberty Order in respect of the eldest child.
  • Representing the applicant mother in complex private children proceedings in the High Court involving allegations of serious domestic abuse against the respondent father.