Mr James Packer > Duncan Lewis Solicitors > Hackney, England > Lawyer Profile

Duncan Lewis Solicitors Offices

Duncan Lewis Solicitors
1 KINGSLAND HIGH STREET
DALSTON, HACKNEY
LONDON
E8 2JS
England
Visit website 020 7923 4020

Mr James Packer

James Packer photo
020 7275 2772 [email protected] View profile

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)

James Packer – Duncan Lewis Solicitors

‘A willingness to take risks on behalf of their clients’ characterises Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ civil liberties and human rights practice, which shines in immigration judicial review cases and migrant rights. The ‘extremely determined’ Toufique Hossain leverages extensive experience in leading strategic litigation on behalf of asylum-seekers before every level of the judicial system, and in public inquiries, while James Packer is ‘deeply committed’ to securing clients’ best interests in complex immigration matters. Bahar Ata regularly represents those detained under immigration powers, and Pardeep Somel engages with a wide range of immigration, asylum, and unlawful detention issues.

London > Public sector > Administrative and public law

Duncan Lewis Solicitors houses a large judicial review practice that focusses on representing claimants on areas of immigration, human rights, and civil liberties. The team is especially recommended for unlawful detention and unsuitable accommodation cases. With more than two decades of experience in the field, Toufique Hossain stands out for his skill with handling high-profile judicial reviews; most notably, he secured a victory in the Supreme Court case relating to the Rwanda Litigation. Ahmed Aydeed and James Packer are also prominent members of the team. Aydeed has experience challenging policies involving victims of slavery and human trafficking. Packer has broad capabilities handling cases in the Administrative Courts, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court. The practice regularly advises asylum-seekers, refugees, and individuals facing deportation.

London > Employment > Immigration: human rights

Known for ‘taking ground-breaking cases and fighting them all with great ability and energy‘, Duncan Lewis Solicitors has unique expertise in immigration judicial review claims involving human rights breaches, as well as a reputable practice in asylum, protection, deportation and modern slavery. Toufique Hossain, ‘a very capable leader and builder of teams’, is a prominent figure in human rights and immigration law, and Ahmed Aydeed advises on all aspects of immigration, including human rights, asylum and international protection. Rohena Wallace and Gemma Lynch have notable experience representing vulnerable clients such as unaccompanied, asylum-seeking children, whilst James Packer has a specialist practice in complex immigration and is ‘deeply committed to clients with cases at all levels from tribunal to Supreme Court.’ Vilash Gami and Pardeep Somel are both well-established in complex asylum claims, and the ‘calm and competent‘ Bahar Ata has a specialised practice in immigration and human rights-related judicial review claims.

Lawyer Rankings

Top Tier Firm Rankings

Firm Rankings