Syed Akhtar

Solicitor - Trainee Solicitor

SRA ID: 7013208

I am a Trainee Solicitor in the Immigration Department at Duncan Lewis Solicitors. I work with a team of lawyers under the supervision of Kennisia Allen and Director Gergana Pentcheva. I advise on a range of immigration, asylum and human rights matters. These include both privately and publicly funded (legal aid) cases. I regularly assist clients making asylum claims, primarily based on religious persecution or political opinion. I am passionate about assisting unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and those with vulnerabilities, including victims of torture and those with mental health issues. I also assist migrants in immigration detention and victims of human trafficking and modern slavery. I have experience in appealing asylum decisions at the Tribunals where I have previously represented by own clients in front of an Immigration Judge. I am accredited as a Level 2 Senior Caseworker under the Law Society's Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme meaning I have demonstrated an excellent standard of competence and knowledge in immigration and asylum law as defined by the Law Society. I was previously involved with the Refugee Cricket Project, where I worked closely with a group of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children from Afghanistan. I have also been involved with the SOAS Detainee Support charity where I helped campaign for an end to immigration detention. Outside of law, I enjoy blogging on sports and politics. My articles have appeared on various international publications including Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. I’m also passionate about landscape photography and travelling. I am conversant in Urdu and I can understand Punjabi.