Joanna Thomson - solicitor

Joanna Thomson

Background

Joanna Thomson is a partner who qualified as a solicitor in 1992. Jo was recruited by Pierce Glynn in 2000, having previously been head of housing law at Steel & Shamash solicitors.

Expertise

Jo is regularly instructed in claims for judicial review of local authority and central government decisions. She has particular expertise in immigration detention and in the law relating to migrants’ rights to accommodation and welfare provision and in the human rights law implications of decisions in this complex area. The High Court and Court of Appeal cases in which she has acted (mentioned below) have played an important part in shaping the law in this area. Jo also advises on healthcare issues, in particular access to treatment, as well as unlawful detention cases.

Jo also has nearly two decade’s experience of conducting housing, community care and social security cases. She now concentrates on more complex housing cases in the County Court, Administrative Court and Court of Appeal. Jo also has experience in complex high value carbon monoxide cases. Jo is a member of the Housing Law Practitioners’ Association.

She is particularly skilled at working with clients with serious mental health problems or other disabilities and she has extensive experience in acting for those who lack mental capacity. In particular, she is regularly instructed by the Official Solicitor in housing and community care cases and also in 'best interest’ cases in the High Court. .

Jo is recommended in the Legal 500 Directory for her civil liberties and human rights work. The directory describes her as a ‘star performer'.

Reported decisions

Significant cases in which Jo has represented include:


	LB Croydon and LB Hackney v AW, A and Y -and- Secretary of State for the Home Department (Court of Appeal) – responsibility for supporting destitute asylum seekers with health problems

	R(AW) v LB Croydon; R(A, D & Y) v LB Hackney & Secretary of State for the Home Department (High Court) – failure to provide assistance breached Article 3 European Convention on Human Rights

	R (A) v NASS & L B Waltham Forest (Court of Appeal) – inadequate accommodation for disabled children of asylum seeker

	R (Fetiti) v SSHD & Islington LBC (Court of Appeal) – Article 3 ECHR breached when asylum support refused for alleged intentional destitution

	L B Merton v Richards (Court of Appeal) - judge entitled to dismiss possession claim based on false statements