Carmel Maher

Senior Solicitor

About Carmel Maher

I qualified in Australia and in England and Wales and I have been a litigation lawyer since my first position in a city firm where I dealt with a broad spectrum of civil and criminal law cases.

I moved on to academic research, and then to criminal prosecutions for the Director of Public Prosecution and sat as a registrar of the County Court of NSW in Sydney on civil cases.

In the UK, my experience was initially gained in child protection law for 10 years and now I specialise in vulnerable adult protection, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC), and migrant families with no recourse to public funds (NRFP).

The expertise I have in asylum related issues and NRPF cases was gained from front line advisory work to a large county council which is at the forefront of case law related to age assessments and the provision of services to UASC.

I regularly provide legal advice, research and legal representation to our clients at all levels on all aspects of the legal duties owed to individuals and families within the UASC and NRPF categories.

I have extensive experience of preparing cases for the Court of Protection, for the defence of judicial review claims and of instructing Counsel and QCs in the High Court, Upper Tribunal of Immigration and Asylum Chamber and the Court of Appeal.

I have been involved in several judicial review cases and notable amongst them is the Upper Tribunal case of R (AS) v Kent County Council JR/11261/2016 relating to dental age assessments and benefit of the doubt and the High Court case of R(WM) v Kent County Council [2018] EWHC 2025 (Admin) regarding who is an asylum seeker for Children Act support.

Areas of expertise

  • Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children
  • Vulnerable Adult Protection
  • No Recourse to Public Funds
  • Court of Protection
  • Judicial Reviews
Carmel is passionate about providing expert legal support in emotive cases to local authorities who support UASC
03000 416993
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Carmel is passionate about providing expert legal support in emotive cases to local authorities who support UASC

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Client testimonials

“Sarah provides excellent advice, often off the cuff at the end of the phone when urgent matters arise. She is extremely good at explaining the intricacies of planning law in layman’s terms, which is very much appreciated. Sarah is a reliable and conscientious colleague who I do not hesitate to contact for guidance and clarity in often high-pressured situations. She is well respected amongst her peers and colleagues, and officers very much appreciate her knowledge and calming influence.”
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“I am writing in praise of your support. As someone in the firing line of an ultra-aggressive legal team for the first time in my life, this was a traumatic and, at times, upsetting process. You were at my side, dispensing wise and calming counsel throughout. You have been readily available when crises occurred, have been a wonderful listener and, in the end, we reached an outcome that was highly satisfactory for our school and its pupils. I cannot speak highly enough of the way that you handled this case, and I thank you and your firm for the support you gave me. Being a chair of governors, sworn to confidentiality, can be a lonely business! You kept me sane.”
Chair of School Governors
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Private Sector Town Planning & Development Consultancy
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Kent Fire and Rescue Service
“Their employment advice has always proved to be sound. I’ve worked with lots of different lawyers in London boroughs and. I’d also say that Invicta Law is the most solution-focused.”
Kent Fire and Rescue Service

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