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NEW DUTY ADVOCATE SCHEME

CALA is delighted to introduce a pro bono Duty Advocate Scheme. This is a signposting service with the generous assistance of members firms. Please see the rota below;

The scheme is open to solicitors, and we are exploring the possibility of counsel being involved, potentially on the basis of being instructed by a CALA Member under this Scheme.

If you are interested in joining the new duty advocate scheme. Please email CALA at enquiries@childabductionlawyers.org.uk 

If you are a litigant in person and wish to speak with a specialist on our new duty scheme please email the solicitors on the schedule that week. 

 

Duty Advocate Scheme: Rota and General Information

Rota: August 2023 to April 2024

Week commencing
Firm
Contact details
Additional Languages at the firm
21st August 2023
Charles Strachan
Pam Sanghera Pam@charlesstrachan.com 07377449939
Punjabi, Hindi, Yoruba, Pidgin, French
28th August 2023
TV Edwards
Sarah Inchley Sarah.Inchley@tvedwards.com 02034408158
Armenian, Russian, Sylheti, Bengali, Farsi, Swedish, Italian and Finnish
4th September 2023
Sills & Betteridge
Chrystal Thefanous CTheofanous@sillslegal.co.uk 07557850212
11th September 2023
Duncan Lewis
Helen Newman helenn@duncanlewis.com 07920077038 Adeeba Naseem Adeeban@Duncanlewis.com 07920 077039
18th September 2023
Wilson LLP
Amna Khaliq a.khaliq@wilsonllp.co.uk 020 8885 7986
Urdu
25th September 2023
Jones Myers
Anthony Parrish Anthony.parrish@jonesmyers.co.uk 0113 380 4585
2nd October 2023
International Family Law Group
James Netto james.netto@iflg.uk.com 0203 178 5668
Greek, Spanish, French, German, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Italian, Romanian, Polish
9th October 2023
A L Associates
Ms Amanjit Lalli amanjit@al-lawassociates.com 07342301403
Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu
16th October 2023
Blackfords
Linda Lusingu linda.lusingu@blackfords.com 07785474149
Swahili
23rd October 2023
Brethertons
Simon Craddock simoncraddock@brethertons.co.uk 01295 661430
Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Japanese, Polish
30th October 2023
Dawson Cornwell
Forum Shah Forum.Shah@dawsoncornwell.com 020 7242 2556
Spanish, German, French, Italian, Polish, Russian, Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Swedish, Turkish, Azerbaijani
6th November 2023
London Family Solicitor
Rahana Nargis rn@london-family-solicitor.co.uk Natalie Friday Natalie.Friday@london-family- solicitor.co.uk 020 3865 1535
13th November 2023
Bindmans
Marianna Michaelides marianna.michaelides@bindmans.com 020 7833 4433
20th November 2023
Goodman Ray
Janet Broadley janetbroadley@goodmanray.com Kevin Skinner KevinSkinner@goodmanray.com 020 7608 1227
27th November 2023
Venters
Carly Fiander Carly.Fiander@venters.co.uk 01737 229 610
4th December 2023
Freemans
Nina Hansen nh@freemanssolicitors.net 020 7935 3522
11th December 2023
Campbell Hooper & Co
Stephen W. Aldred SA@campbellhooperco.co.uk T: 01344 622141 M: 07818 795 577
18th December 2023
Philcox Gray & Co
Lucy Verity lv@philcoxgray.co.uk 07961416298
(Christmas break)
8th January 2024
Passmores Solicitors
Charmaine Earley cm@passmores.com 01446 721000
15th January 2024
MSB Solicitors
Emma Palmer emmapalmer@msbsoliciotors.co.uk 07388990362
22nd January 2024
Osbornes Law
Lauren Hall lauren.hall@osborneslaw.com 020 3089 2294
29th January 2024
Ben Hoare Bell
Cris McCurley crismccurley@benhoarebell.co.uk 0191 275 2626 07896 676154
Cantonese, Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi
5th February 2024
LDJ Solicitors
Gemma Kelsey gemma.kelsey@ldjsolicitors.co.uk DD: (024)76 745024 Mobile: 07731 373 468
Punjabi, Urdu and Hindi.
12th February 2024
Russell Cooke
Natasha Kirk natasha.kirk@russell-cooke.co.uk Mobile: +44 (0)7721 129 366 Mae Al-Omari Mae.Al-Omari@russell-cooke.co.uk
19th February 2024
J I Solicitors
John Itsagwede John@itsagwede.co.uk 020 7732 8750
26th February 2024
Best Solicitors
Martyn Wood martynwood@bestsolicitorsonline.co.uk 01142283519
4th March 2024
Williams and Co
Naomi Yeshua naomi.yeshua@lawlegal.co.uk 0208 952 8882
11th March 2024
RWK Goodman
Ursula Danagher T: 0207 583 2222 (DDI) T: 0207 797 6301 M: 07584 602 875 ursula.danagher@rwkgoodman.com
Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu
18th March 2024
Moore Barlow
Laura White laura.white@moorebarlow.com 023 8071 8000
Information for users of the Duty Advocate Schemes

What the Scheme entails


The purpose of the Scheme is for solicitors to provide assistance and advice to litigants in international proceedings, initially on a pro bono basis. We suggest

this can include:

  1. Providing advice before, during and after hearings;

  2. Representing a client at a hearing, including undertaking the advocacy at a hearing at your discretion;

  3. Liaising with and instructing counsel if you so decide (who will also appear on a pro bono basis);

  4. Assessing the client for legal aid and exploring alternative funding options with them;

  5. Signposting the client on for support or other assistance, including with embassies, legal charities, other sources of advice, and mediators (specifically Reunite).

There is no obligation to go on court record, nor to provide continuous advice to a client. We would hope that firms will assist where they can, for as long as they feel comfortable. All we ask is that solicitors do what they can to assist clients and the court by advising those who approach the Scheme. It may involve assisting at short notice, perhaps by telephone, or by video call, or indeed in person.

CALA’s Role and who the Scheme is aimed at

CALA will play no role in instruction of solicitors or counsel, or indeed in relation to the provision of any assistance or advice; we act as a pro bono signposting service, connecting litigants in person with specialist solicitors. As such, each firm of solicitors is obliged to follow their own professional duties and obligations, including insurance, provision of advice, client care, and complaints handling – as is the case with other Duty Solicitor Schemes. You may wish to consider the Law Society’s Practice Note, “Court duty scheme for private law family clients” (https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/en/topics/family-and-children/court-duty- scheme-for-private-law-family-clients ). Solicitors may also wish to consider how you provide this information to enquiries that come through the Duty Advocate Scheme.

CALA cannot vet or guarantee any advice, but by signing up to this Scheme, you confirm your firm holds specialist Resolution accreditation in child abduction and/or hold the relevant expertise in this specific area of law. Each firm is responsible for their own advice under this Scheme; CALA plays no role in the provision of this advice.

This Scheme is aimed at helping litigants in person, in any shape or form, in proceedings in the High Court. They may be respondents to abduction proceedings, unaware of their ability to obtain legal aid. They may be applicants attending court in person, unaware of how to proceed with international cases. They may be summoned to attend a hearing, or detained by the Tipstaff and held in the cells. We do not seek to limit who can access this service – we simply seek to assist them and point them in the right direction wherever possible.

For any further enquiries, please contact CALA on: james.netto@iflg.uk.com

 

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