Duncan Lewis remembers Solicitor Anita Bains
It is with deep sadness that we report the recent death of our employee, Anita Bains. Anita passed away on 3rd September 2023 at just 38 years.
Admitted as a Solicitor in 2012, Anita joined Duncan Lewis in November 2018 as a Solicitor in our Family & Childcare team providing legal services across the West Midlands. Throughout her time with us, she passionately represented both parents and children across a wide-range of family and children law matters, handling an array of cases involving vulnerable clients and issues of domestic violence, drug and alcohol use, sexual abuse and non-accidental injury cases. Anita was self-motivated and enthusiastic about everything to do with her field of work and it was her drive, energy and ongoing devotion to her clients that saw her applauded and recognised by the 2021 and 2022 editions of the independent legal directory, The Legal 500 for her excellence in Family Law throughout the West Midlands; - a remarkable achievement considering her late start to this field.
Anita enjoyed great success throughout her education – she was clearly very hardworking and studious. Anita attended Kingston University to read LLB Law between 2003-2006, gaining an upper second class degree (2:1), remained at Kingston to complete a Masters LLM in Employment Law in 2007 and completed her Legal Practice Course with the College of Law in 2008. Upon completing her education, Anita worked at various private practices in London, Sussex, Manchester and Birmingham, across a number of fields - travelling and representing clients in various courts across these regions. Between December 2008 and November 2012 Anita joined Quindell Legal Services and carved out her first specialisms in road traffic claims and employer / public liability claims; it was here that she completed her training contract, qualified as a solicitor and became a team leader before leaving for Charles Gregory Solicitors, where she stayed until January 2014 as a Locum Solicitor. From January 2014 until March 2018, Anita enjoyed a successful career as a Locum Solicitor of Litigation across SBM Solicitors, Hodge Jones & Allen, Carpenters, Keoghs and Garvins before first embarking on a career in Family and Children law with the Birmingham Children’s Trust as a Childcare Solicitor from July 2018.
Anita’s work history was varied but it was with Duncan Lewis that she finally found a home, with us for nearly 5 years. On behalf of Anita’s team and Anita’s colleagues that worked with her over this period, Rupinder Jagdev and Krina Parmar, two of Anita’s supervisors during her time with Duncan Lewis pay tribute, commenting:
“Anita was a valued, respected and loved member of the Duncan Lewis family in Birmingham. She was always known for her energetic, kind and bubbly personality. She was always seen with a big smile on her face, despite the difficult and sensitive cases she had to deal with. Throughout the years at Duncan Lewis, Anita has represented many vulnerable clients in both public and private law proceedings. She would always go above and beyond to advance her client’s cases and secure great outcomes for them. Anita helped in welcoming new staff members to the team and always gave a helping hand to any queries they and other colleagues may have. Anita would always go out of her way to speak to her colleagues in the office and her smiling nature will be greatly missed.”
Solicitor, Henna Sajid encapsulates the impact that Anita had on all those that knew her, stating:
“I can honestly say there was not a day that went by when she was not smiling or bringing joy to the office. Anita would always start her day in the office with an infectious smile which was hard not to follow. Special thoughts and heartfelt prayers are with her friends and family through this difficult time. The memories I shared with Anita will forever be cherished. As Anita said ‘Sparkle everyday’.”
On behalf of all at Duncan Lewis, we extend our most sincere condolences to Anita’s family at this very sad time – she will be missed by many. In memory of Anita, Duncan Lewis will be making a charitable donation to Panahghar. Panahghar provides free dedicated multi-lingual support, advice and advocacy and access to safe refuge for victims and their families of domestic abuse, sexual abuse or gendered abuse in Coventry and Leicester. This charity does wonderful work in an area that Anita committed her career to, supporting victims of abuse.
Anita’s family have kindly provided us with the following details,