Jamie Bell

I am a Solicitor in the Public Law and Immigration Department at Duncan Lewis Solicitors. I have gained significant experience in a wide variety of complex and high profile cases since I started at the firm in August 2014. My commitment to clients is demonstrated by my willingness to take on cases at such short notice and at all hours so as to prevent the unlawful removal of asylum-seekers. I am experienced and willing to act under extreme time pressures to ensure that justice is achieved for my clients. During my time at Duncan Lewis, I have demonstrated particular commitment to representing Afghan Claimants. This began when I was an important part of the legal team that embarked upon a series of judicial review claims challenging returns to Afghanistan because of the deterioration in the country situation. As part of the generic challenge, I assisted with the preparation of over forty judicial review applications prior to charter flights on 10 March 2015 and 21 April 2015. As part of this litigation we obtained unprecedented orders granted ‘generic relief’, preventing the mass removals of Afghan nationals. These orders have prevented the detention and removal of hundreds of Afghans. Since this litigation, there have been no further chartered flights to Afghanistan and the number of forced removals to Afghanistan has significantly reduced. Since then I have acted as a point of contact throughout the firm for questions about Afghanistan, providing training to the firm on the topic. I have previously spoken on behalf of Duncan Lewis Solicitors at an event at Parliament attended by 150 people, discussing the UK’s approach to Afghanistan as a country of asylum. I have written numerous articles for the Duncan Lewis website outlining my experiences working with Afghan clients and working in the litigation cases, and have further appeared on Russia Today discussing Afghanistan. I have spoken to various media organisations on the topic, including the BBC, The Independent, Canadian Broadcasting Committee, The Guardian and Huffington Post. I continue to represent a significant number of Afghan nationals in their asylum, appeal and judicial review claims, with great success. I have significant experience dealing with vulnerable clients, including those in detention, those suffering from complex psychological issues and victims of torture and trafficking. I have a particular specialism in challenging the detention of vulnerable clients and have achieved success securing their release and awards of damages for the client. In October 2016, I visited the Calais ‘Jungle’ on two occasions, to give advice and support to unaccompanied refugee children in their applications to come to the UK under the ‘Dubs Amendment’, playing a leading role in the second visit in organising the taking of instructions and liaising with social workers. I subsequently also took a leading role in the consequent litigation ZS (A Child) v SSHD, challenging the Government’s exclusive and irrational decision-making and policy with regards to the Dubs Amendment. I helped to coordinate the client care of 37 vulnerable minors, including travelling to France on two occasions to visit vulnerable child clients. I am a Recommended Individual in the 2019 edition of The Legal 500 for my work involving civil liberties and human rights. I have spoken to the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, BBC Radio Kent and BuzzFeed on the Dubs litigation, raising the profile of the challenge and emphasising the vital role played by legal aid in giving a voice to those most in need. As well as Judicial Review matters, I have great experience representing asylum seekers in their initial asylum and subsequent appeal matters. I have demonstrated willingness to take whatever necessary steps to assist my clients to achieve refugee status in the United Kingdom. I have represented clients from a variety of different countries with diverse cases and issues, achieving great success.