Lewis Nedas Opens New Conveyancing Sub-Department

Our Conveyancing Department know how difficult it can be to get on the property ladder in these horrendously difficult economic times, and so we are offering a heavily discounted pricing scheme for first time buyers. Layna Thompson (Solicitor), as a young homeowner herself, can bear witness to the stresses, trials and tribulations that purchasing your first home can entail, and so is providing this new and specifically aimed service. Layna guides the ‘first-timer’ through potential pitfalls, explains matters in everyday language and offers an efficient service.

Please contact Layna Thompson for details.

Please note that Stamp Duty Exemption for first time buyers in relation to properties up to £250,000 ends on 24 March 2012!

Siobhain Egan Represents One of Twenty-Four Defendants Charged with Conspiracy

Siobhain Egan has represented one of twenty-four defendants charged with this conspiracy.

Our client, after taking sound well-reasoned advice, admitted guilt at the earliest opportunity and received a much-reduced sentence as a result.

His barrister was the excellent Martin Huseyin of Tooks Chambers.

Success for Penny Muir’s Client

Penny Muir was recently instructed in a case brought under S.35 of the Asylum & Immigration (treatment of claimants etc) Act 2004, namely the offence of failing to comply with actions that the Secretary of State requires in order to enable a travel document to be issued so that a person (normally a failed asylum seeker) can be removed. This offence is not very well known, but it appears it is used by the Home Office when, as in this case, a particular asylum seeker cannot be deported without his or her cooperation with the procedures required by the country to which he or she is being deported, for the purpose of issuing travel documents.

In Penny Muir’s case, this was an Iranian man, who had converted from Islam to Christianity, which is an offence in Iran that can be punished by execution. Understandably, her client did not wish to cooperate with his deportation, even though he had already been held in prison in immigration detention in the UK for over five years. In Penny Muir’s view, this was a scandalous situation, and even though the defence available to this charge is extremely limited, she, along with counsel instructed, worked very hard on his defence over a period of several months, having defeated an initial argument brought before the Court by the Prosecution that he had no arguable defence! During the course of this, the client became ill and, eventually, the Prosecution agreed to drop the case against him in the interests of justice. It is clear that the case shocked all those who heard about it, including the judge who presided over the matter, and he did all in his power to assist by ordering a number of psychiatric reports to be paid for by the Court.

Jo French Acts in High Profile Extradition Case

Jo French is acting in a high profile extradition case; you can read the press report here.

Laura Saunsbury Writes Article for Guardian

Laura Saunsbury has written an article for The Guardian newspaper on the tragedy of the New Year’s Day shootings in Durham.

You can read the full article here.