News

We are delighted to announce that following the successful completion of his training contract with Duncan Lewis, George Macquisten has accepted a role as a Newly Qualified Solicitor within our Public Law department.

George’s career at Duncan Lewis Solicitors began in June 2021, when he joined the firm as a Caseworker. After demonstrating exceptional dedication and skill, he secured a training contract in October 2022 and was admitted as a Solicitor in April 2024. Under the expert guidance of Director Bahar Ata and Supervisor Joshua Chua, he is an integral part of our formidable Public Law department, collaborating with a dedicated team of solicitors, trainees, and caseworkers at our City of London office. George's progression within the firm is a testament to his unwavering commitment, hard work, and the supportive environment at Duncan Lewis that fosters professional growth and excellence.

During his training contract, George gained significant experience in various immigration, asylum, and human rights matters, including judicial review cases and asylum appeals. After demonstrating his specialist knowledge and experience in Immigration law, George gained a Level 2 Senior Caseworker Accreditation under the Law Society’s Immigration and Asylum Scheme, enabling him to advise and assist publicly funded (legal aid) clients with application and appeal matters under Duncan Lewis’s legal aid contract. His work has involved challenging the Secretary of State for the Home Department on issues such as unlawful deportation and detention, removals to unsafe countries not listed on the European Common List of Safe Countries of Origin, and the unlawful revocation of Indefinite Leave to Remain and Citizenship.

George’s traineeship has also enabled him to gain real, hands-on experience in complex cases. In one matter, George had the opportunity to work alongside Oskar Butcher and Bahar Ata on a significant appeal before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), which is a highly specialist area. This case was particularly noteworthy as it was the first appeal before SIAC to challenge a deprivation decision made by the Secretary of State on non-national security grounds.

Reflecting on his career journey, George said:

“Qualifying at Duncan Lewis has been an engaging experience, helped in no small part by the steadfast support of my supervisors and fellow caseworkers. During my training contract, I have had intriguing cases to fight on behalf of vulnerable people, giving the feeling that I am making a positive difference in their lives. I am delighted to have qualified and to continue doing the job that I love with such talented and supportive colleagues.”  

George's journey from Caseworker to Newly Qualified Solicitor serves as an inspiration to aspiring Solicitors and is a testament to the rewarding opportunities available at Duncan Lewis for those who strive for excellence. We extend our congratulations to George on this significant milestone in his career and look forward to witnessing his continued success and positive impact within our Public Law department and beyond.

Careers at Duncan Lewis

Choosing a career with Duncan Lewis is choosing an innovative law firm that recognises that its strength and success can only be achieved through its continuous investment in its staff. Duncan Lewis are dedicated to recruiting and retaining the most talented employees, and we are proud to have held the Investors in People Gold Standard Accreditation since 2009. We maintain a vibrant learning and development team which, in the last 12 months, has facilitated over 33,730 hours of both external and internal training across all of its personnel. We are proud that 56% of our legal Directors were promoted internally, demonstrating our commitment to nurturing talent and providing a supportive environment for career development.

To learn more about the career pathways available at Duncan Lewis, click here to listen to the career journeys made by some of our award winning Directors.

Duncan Lewis Solicitors

Duncan Lewis Solicitors, listed as one of the Times 200 Best Law Firms and regularly recognised as an ‘outstanding firm’ for diversity and inclusion, is a long-established leading law firm representing both privately and publicly funded (legal aid) clients in more than 25 practice areas across 14 key offices nationwide. Headquartered in the City of London, Duncan Lewis is recognised by the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners UK independent legal directories as a top-tier law firm in all of its key practice areas, where we are described as “a diligent and professional team that is prepared to go the extra mile for its clients”.