Shaun Livingston

Shaun represents children in need and care leavers who require a range of support and disabled adults whose needs have not been met by their local authority. He is experienced in challenging unlawful policies and practices on public law grounds, and bringing human rights claims against public authorities where they have violated his clients’ rights. Shaun acted for the claimants in ZB (1) & DB (2) v London Borough of Croydon [2023] EWHC 489 (Admin), securing residential educational placements for two children with complex disabilities, as well as damages of £10,000 each to compensate them for breaches of their human right to education. Such awards are unusual and rarely reported.

In a previous role, Shaun assisted in a judicial review of Surrey County Council’s decision to cut £21m from its budget for children with special educational needs. Shaun was also the solicitor with conduct in the case of DL (by her litigation friend the Official Solicitor v London Borough of Enfield [2019] EWCOP B1, in which he successfully resisted an application by the local authority to dismiss the proceedings; had the application been successful, it would have made it significantly harder for individuals deprived of their liberty in care settings to be able to access their rights to challenge that deprivation in the Court of Protection.

Shaun takes a particular interest in acting for care leavers who are often left without the necessary support to allow for a successful transition to adulthood, and adults with complex needs for care and support that may not be recognised by their local authorities.

In January 2022, Shaun was appointed an Accredited Legal Representative by the Law Society, a qualification which allows him to act for incapacitousclients directly in the Court of Protection without a litigation friend. He is also a qualified Legal Aid supervisor in the field of community care.

Shaun qualified in 2013, and joined TV Edwards in October 2020. He is an Associate Solicitor and acts in Court of Protection welfare cases where individuals lack capacity to make their own decisions, and for clients with a wide variety of community care needs, including under the Care Act 2014, Children Act 1989 and Mental Health Act 1983. Shaun is regularly instructed by the Official Solicitor and accepts referrals from a range of advocates and charities.