Duncan Lewis Solicitors warned for abusing court system

A High Court judge has condemned a law firm for "abusing the court system with "utterly hopeless' cases.

Over three years, Duncan Lewis Solicitors received £20 million as legal aid work for asylum and deportation cases, according to a report in The Times (20).

Dame Victoria Sharp said applications submitted by the firm in the cases were bound to fail.

This firm, run by Amarpal Singh Gupta, is mostly involved in appealing against Home Office asylum decisions. Last year, the same firm's lawyers blocked the deportation of dozens of criminals to Jamaica.

Firms such as Duncan Lewis have drawn Priti Patel's attention as the home secretary looks to curb "meritless" legal challenges.

Sharp, president of the Queen’s Bench Division, last week gave the firm a final warning and said the cases represented a “significant abuse of the procedures made available for urgent applications”.

“We respect the court’s judgment entirely. The court was expressly clear that it made no judgment on the merits of the underlying claim. ...we have taken steps to ensure no repeat,” the firm's representative said.