Duncan Lewis Solicitors is prominent for its work in immigration, civil liberties and human rights matters, with a penchant for representing vulnerable clients, including those who have faced unlawful detention and false imprisonment. The department is experienced in challenging asylum cases, with a record in multiple high-profile matters. Vanessa Delgado and Steffan Rees are the key names within the team. Delgado has a track record in advocacy work at the First Tier and Upper Tribunal, as well as the Court of Appeal, while Rees is praised for his ‘compassionate and professional service’ and covers a range of immigration and asylum matters.
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Work Department
Immigration
Position

Immigration consultant solicitor Vanessa has over 13 years of experience in immigration and asylum law. She is highly experienced in dealing with all aspects of immigration, nationality, asylum, and human rights law. She conducts advocacy in both the First-tier and Upper Tribunal of the Immigration Asylum Chamber and is regularly instructed in Court of Appeal matters.

Vanessa has had successful conduct of complex cases involving; asylum matters, EEA regulations, victims of trafficking and cases under the Points Based System. She frequently identifies arguments in cases that have been deemed to be without merit by other legal representatives, going on to achieve successful outcomes for clients. Furthermore, she has succeeded in seeking permission to appeal First-tier Tribunal decisions to the Upper Tribunal and represents clients at error of law hearings.

She had key involvement in a reported case on the risks on return for Iranian asylum seekers who had been critical of the regime through social media activities, as well as in a trafficking case which led to a change in policy regarding the amount of leave given to those who were granted residence permits.

Career

Vanessa joined Duncan Lewis in 2013.

Languages

Vanessa is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish and she can also understand French.

Memberships

Vanessa is an accredited Supervisory and Level 2 Caseworker under the Law Society’s Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme (IAAS), she is also a member of ILPA and the International Crisis Group. In 2019 Vanessa was appointed to the Legal Aid Agency’s Review Panel.

Education

Vanessa obtained a BA in Law and Sociology at Warwick University before completing her LPC at Cardiff University.

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Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Broad breadth of talent across a large immigration department.’

    ‘Steffan Rees is a client focused immigration solicitor offering a compassionate and professional service. Has in depth knowledge of asylum law and practice.’

    ‘I was lucky to have Steffan Rees as my lawyer.’

    'This team has both extensive experience and exceptional commitment to ensuring their clients get the best representation possible. Practice in legal aid for asylum and immigration is extremely challenging, it is remarkable what this team is able to undertake with those tight constraints.'

    ‘Steffan Rees always answered my questions and always reassured me when I felt like giving up.’

    'Vanessa Delgado gives voice to the voiceless!'