Jodie Spencer

Trainee Solicitor

I joined Duncan Lewis Solicitors in October 2013 as an Immigration Solicitor and Supervisor, based in the Immigration department at the Cardiff Office. I have worked in immigration and asylum law for 13 years. I worked as a Supervising Counsellor at the Immigration Advisory Service in Cardiff before helping set up and later head the Immigration Law Department at Ty Arian Solicitors in Swansea. I conduct advocacy work both at First and Upper Tribunal Levels. I have also been instructed on Court of Appeal matters where permission has been given. I am highly experienced in dealing with all aspects of Immigration, Asylum and Nationality cases through to Judicial Review. I have had successful conduct of very complex cases involving: Asylum matters; EEA regulations; Victims of trafficking; and Cases under the Points Based System. I have frequently identified arguments in cases that were deemed to be without merit by other legal representatives, going on to achieve successful outcomes for clients. Furthermore, I have succeeded in seeking permission to appeal First Tier Tribunal Decisions to the Upper Tribunal and I also represent clients at Error of law hearings. I have also had key involvement in a reported case on the risks on return for Iranian Asylum seekers who have been critical of the regime through social media activities, and on a trafficking case which led to a change in policy as to the amount of leave given to those who were granted residence permits. I am accredited through the Law Society Immigration & Asylum Accreditation Scheme (IAAS) as a Senior Immigration Caseworker, and also accredited to Supervisory Level. Additionally, I am ranked as a Rising Star and a Recommended Lawyer in The Legal 500 UK for my immigration work. In 2019 I was appointed to the appointed to the Legal Aid Agency’s Review Panel as the following; Independent Funding Adjudicator Independent Costs Assessor Special Controls Review Panel Member Very High Cost Cases Panel Member I am fluent in English, Portuguese and Spanish, and I can also understand French.