Duncan Lewis

Join the next generation of leading lawyers With more than 100 training contracts available each year, our trainees have the opportunity to specialise in one or more areas of law. Careers Immigration Level 2 Solicitor Director (x2) - Manchester Vacancies Regulated by the Solicitor's Regulation Authority, Duncan Lewis Solicitors was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in the City of London (Fenchurch Street EC3M), with offices nationwide. We are recognised by the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners UK independent legal directories as a top-tier law firm in all of our key practice areas - "a diligent and professional team that is prepared to go the extra mile for its clients". A paperless law firm with over 500 personnel that embraces hybrid-working, we service both corporate entities and private individuals in over 25 areas of law across 60 languages. We give people a voice - that is our ethos. Recognised among The Times 200 Best Law Firms, we have been awarded Law Firm of the Year at the 2024 Lexis Nexis Awards and 2023 Modern Law Awards, reflecting our dedication to legal expertise and client service. We hold Investors in People Gold Standard accreditation for over 15 years, showcasing our commitment to professional development. Duncan Lewis is also Law Society Lexcel, Cyber Essentials Plus, and ISO 27001 certified, ensuring excellence in practice management and data security. We are committed to recruiting dedicated and talented professionals and welcome applications from exceptional candidates. At Duncan Lewis, we value training and diversity, and we take pride in our inclusive workforce. Immigration Department Background: We have one of the largest legal aid immigration law practices in the UK and are ranked and recommended as a top-tier practice by The Legal 500 directory for our services including, business immigration, human rights, appeals and overstay. The Legal 500 legal directory applauds the services we provide nationwide, stating: "The breadth and depth of the team makes Duncan Lewis a real market leader for immigration matters. The "innovative and courageous" team "are one of the most successful and effective immigration practices in the UK". "They are a credit to the profession". Specialists in the full spectrum of immigration law; including asylum, human rights, nationality and business immigration - our immigration lawyers have an established reputation in acting for high net worth individuals, new and established business men and women, and innovative and skilled individuals under the Tier 1 visa categories. Our Immigration team offer a wide range of services to European Economic Area (EEA) and non-EEA individuals and families wishing to enter, remain, or settle in the UK. With over 160 specialist Immigration lawyers nationwide, we bring the highest level of expertise to all Immigration matters. The department has a number of highly skilled lawyers who have trained as barristers, and undertake complex appeal cases up to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Our Immigration team is renowned for their extensive experience in Asylum claims and challenging human rights violations for unaccompanied minors and victims of torture, trafficking, and domestic abuse. In these cases, we are committed to assisting no matter the individual client's circumstance. Main Responsibilities of the Role: Report directly to and collaborating with the Board to ensure performance targets are met r Responsible for all aspects of Immigration work including providing technical expertise and guidance to other team members Ability to manage and supervise Solicitors, Trainee Solicitors and Caseworkers to manage appropriate caseload types and complexities Assisting with delivery of appropriate training and development in the department Variety of duties including dealing with a range of Immigration work including; detained clients; victims of trafficking & torture; asylum work from initial applications through to Tribunal appeal and upper Court appeal matters; entry clearance applications and appeals and some judicial review work Preparing and managing funding applications to the Legal Aid Agency Preparing draft documents including witness statements and processing evidence Preparing applications to meet Home Office requirements (incl drafting application forms, index of documents and letters of representations) Attending conferences and court You will have a professional pro-active approach, strong client care skills and be interested in Business Development and Marketing to supplement the substantial work volumes brought in by the company Key Skills Required: Must have a clean, valid Practising Certificate at the time of applying Registered with the Law Society Immigration & Asylum Law Accreditation - level 2 membership Be committed and highly driven to provide an excellent standard of service to our clients Committed team player with ability to approach team concerns fairly, foster culture of positive change and encourage cross referrals Previous proven supervisory experience and working to key performance indicators Professional with a pro-active approach; excellent client care skills and ability to deal with vulnerable client matters in a sensitive manner and resolve complicated practicalities involved in Immigration issues Excellent networking and communication skills with the ability to successfully market the Company and generate new business Working knowledge of the publicly funded Immigration work and have the ability to service privately funded cases Have extensive experience in dealing with all Immigration related work and some expertise on adoption matters Experience in own advocacy is an advantage Excellent IT Skills -familiar with Microsoft Office applications and document management skills What we offer A fantastic supportive team Excellent progression opportunities Support for appropriate legal awards/recognition The recruitment process will fully comply with GDPR and other applicable laws. Background checks including CRB / DBS checks will establish your eligibility to work in the UK and suitability to the role. Duncan Lewis is committed to Equal Opportunities and embraces diversity of its staff. The Company strives to ensure that our staff reflects the diversity of the communities we serve, which is reflective at all levels within our workforce We guarantee an interview for candidates that disclose a disability and meet the essential requirements for the post. Please provide additional details in your covering letter if this applies. If you are interested in applying for this vacancy, please visit our website and apply using our online process for your application to be considered. APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY AGENCIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR THE ABOVE VACANCY Duncan Lewis Solicitors is an award-winning, nationally recognised law firm, ranked as a top-tier firm in current edition of The Legal 500 UK. With offices across London and the regions, we offer clear, practical and high-quality advice across a broad range of specialist areas. We act for clients on both a legal aid and private-fee basis, supporting individuals, families and businesses with everything from everyday matters to complex and high-profile litigation. Our continued growth, particularly in private client and complex dispute work, is driven by our reputation for professionalism, integrity and exceptional client care. We are always keen to hear from committed and capable people, in both legal and non-legal roles. Whether you are an experienced practitioner or looking to begin your career, we welcome applications from individuals who want to contribute to the work we do. Our recruitment and interview process is designed to understand how you think, how you work and what you can bring to the firm, and to assess your skills, knowledge and experience in a fair and consistent way. To support this, candidates must not use AI-based tools (such as ChatGPT, Gemini or similar) to write or edit any part of their interview responses or written communication during the process. We want to hear your own experience, insight and perspective. Duncan Lewis is committed to Equal Opportunities and values the diversity of its staff. We work to ensure that our workforce reflects the communities we serve at every level of the organisation. We offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who disclose a disability and meet the essential requirements for the role - please highlight this in your covering letter if it applies.

Duncan Lewis in Manchester is seeking an Immigration Level 2 Solicitor Director to manage Immigration work while supervising a dedicated team. This role is vital for providing exceptional legal aid across various immigration matters, ensuring compliance with Home Office requirements. The ideal candidate will have strong legal knowledge, a valid Practising Certificate, and excellent client care skills. Duncan Lewis offers a supportive environment with opportunities for professional progression and a commitment to diversity.