Public sector
Duncan Lewis Solicitors is widely recognised for its impactful role in strategic public law litigation, with a particular focus on representing vulnerable individuals through a robust judicial review claimant practice. The team frequently acts in complex cases concerning human rights, crime, prison law, and the Court of Protection, and is especially noted for its expertise in unlawful detention and unsuitable accommodation claims involving foreign nationals held under immigration powers. Toufique Hossain leads much of the high-profile work, drawing on deep experience across all court levels and public inquiries. Working predominantly under legal aid, his practice centres on asylum seekers, many of whom are victims of torture, trafficking, or sexual abuse. Nazia Khan brings additional strength, guiding clients through all stages of human rights claims, from applications to appeals in the immigration and asylum tribunals and higher courts.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
Work Department
Public Law
Position
Toufique Hossain is a Director in the Public Law and Immigration departments at Duncan Lewis Solicitors. He works predominantly under legal aid in order to represent those most in need. His practice is dominated by leading strategic litigation representing individual claimants and organisations who seek to challenge executive decisions, policies and practices. With great experience in high-profile litigation, Toufique continues to build a team passionate about human rights, developing wider judicial review practices, investigating novel points of law, and fighting injustices on behalf of those affected by unlawful government practices.
Toufique has extensive experience in the Administrative Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, litigating across a range of areas and regularly conducting high-profile challenges to unlawful policies and practices, including unlawful detention and unlawful removals from the UK.
Toufique and his team have achieved many notable successes, most recently as the lead solicitors in the Supreme Court in relation to the government’s Rwanda policy.
Throughout his life and career, Toufique’s driving motivation has been to advocate for the disenfranchised. Whilst he remains involved in high profile litigation, his more recent focus has been on building a team of talented lawyers with a clear passion for human rights.
In 2024, Toufique was presented with the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards, the highest honour that the judges can give, for his invaluable contributions to the legal aid field.
Toufique is an accredited Supervisor and Level 3 Senior Caseworker under the Law Society’s Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme.
Career
Toufique qualified as a solicitor in 2004, he joined Duncan Lewis Solicitors in 2011 and was made a partner-level director in 2013.
Languages
Bengali
Memberships
Toufique is accredited as a Supervisor and Level 3 Senior Caseworker under the Law Society’s Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme. There are only a small number of immigration practitioners throughout England & Wales that hold this quality mark. He is also a member of Amnesty International, ILPA, and is on the Board of Trustees – Article 1/Waging Peace.
Education
Toufique received his LPC from the College of Law, London and his LLB Law from University College London (UCL).
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘My family's needs have always been trusted to this firm because we are both happy with the results obtained and have never felt necessary to look elsewhere.'
‘I have always used the skills of Nazia Khan for all my legal matters. She is a capable and trusted solicitor. Nazia kept us informed throughout every step of the case, explaining in detail what to expect and what our choices and options were. Our case was successful, which once more proves to us her ability and dedication.’
‘They are across a huge range of cases and issues. They are at the cutting edge of strategic litigation in judicial review.’
'Baha Ata is vastly experienced and a very safe pair of hands.’‘Toufique Hossain may be the most important person in this area now - doing the top-end work.'
‘Leaders in the field, particularly for immigration law.’
‘The Duncan Lewis administrative and public law team is a force to be reckoned with. Over the last 10 years, they have become a dominant driver in some key landmark decisions. They have been prepared to take cases that other legal aid providers would potentially shy away from because of the risks and complexity. Their partners are of a very high calibre.’
‘James Packer and Toufique Hossain are movers and shakers in the world of public law, judicial review and its interface with immigration law.'
'Duncan Lewis are true experts in claimant public law cases. They have wealth of experience across an expansive team.'
'Duncan Lewis is a leader in the field of human rights and immigration-related public law challenges. The team are extremely good at identifying and successfully running systemic, ground-breaking challenges.'