Tricia Lawlor

Senior Legal Assistant

About Tricia Lawlor

Tricia has over 30 years of experience in the local authority community care field.

She has particular expertise in judicial review challenges, no recourse to public funds, unaccompanied child asylum seekers and leaving care.

Tricia holds a substantial caseload and has many years of specialist practice, directly advising the Corporate Director of Children’s Services, Assistant Directors, and Heads of Service in all aspects of local authority duties and law relating to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and no recourse to public funds families.

Tricia has experience of effectively defending pre-action and judicial review challenges to local authority decisions, conducting legal matters efficiently, advising and instructing senior counsel in High Court and Upper Tribunal hearings and providing proactive legal assistance to the practice group.

She has been involved in several notable cases, including A v LB of Croydon & Secretary of State for Home Department (Interested Party) – as to the evidential value of paediatricians reports in age disputes, the Kent case taking the place of the Lambeth case as lead case in this issue; WK v Secretary of State for Home Department & Kent CC [2009] EWHC 939 (Admin) – a landmark High Court judgment given to provide guidance on the significance and role of a paediatrician’s evidence in an age assessment.

She has also successfully defended a number of judicial review challenges on age assessments and care provision to UASC, including R (ota LYB) v Kent County Council [2021] UKUT 491 (Admin).

Areas of expertise

  • Judicial Review Challenges
  • No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)
  • Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC)
  • Leaving Care
Tricia understands the important of identifying issues from the outset and addressing them early on to save clients time, money and further legal problems later down the line.
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Client testimonials

“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
“You’ve been incredibly helpful with this. Thanks for always replying so promptly and for being a star.”
Private Sector Town Planning & Development Consultancy
“The experience has been really top end. Rather than just offering the options, they have given some real solid advice on the best route. It's a good business 'partnering' approach.”
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

News & Blogs

Kent Family Justice Board Child Care Conference 2023: Tickets Now On Sale

18th Oct 2023



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Meet the Team: Harry Johnston-Sluka, Community Care Team

18th Oct 2023

Now part of the Community Care Team, Harry Johnston-Sluka also completed his training contract at Invicta Law, qualifying as a solicitor in April 2021.

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Defending Age Assessment Challenges

18th Oct 2023

Defending legal challenges against local authority age assessments

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