UK Bar London (Bar) Community Care

11KBW is a top-tier set housing a strong bench of highly sought-after community care specialist barristers. The team is regularly instructed in complex disputes involving procurement issues, cuts to community care services and the rights to access those services, age assessments and data protection matters. The set's barristers are also experienced in the handling of cases related to the impact of Article 8 on community care and frequently appear before the ECtHR. This year, members continued to be instructed in a major crowd-funded challenge to the government’s initial response to the COVID-19 crisis. The set's barristers also acted for the Department of Health in R v Caerphilly Council, a Supreme Court challenge concerning when the High Court can use its inherent jurisdiction to deprive vulnerable children of their liberty in homes that do not meet statutory requirements to be a secure children’s home.

Instructing solicitors describe 39 Essex Chambers as a go-to set for community care matters, and praise the depth and breadth of expertise available at the chambers. Barristers from the set are regularly called on to represent a diverse client base, including the Official Solicitor as well as several local authorities, health authorities and individuals, in a wide range of cases. Areas of expertise for the team include Children Act challenges, matters concerning asylum seekers, age assessments and care home funding disputes. The set is frequently instructed in the most high-profile cases in the area, and its barristers have considerable experience of appearing before the Supreme Court. Interviewees say: "They are a market-leading set." Members featured in a challenge to the government's National Disability Strategy in Binder and Others v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Doughty Street Chambers is a market-leading set for community care matters and houses a strong bench of experienced barristers at both senior and junior levels. The set's community care practice is bolstered by its expertise in complementary areas such as social housing and human rights law, and the barristers are highly regarded for their handling of matters involving both children's services and adult social care. The team is noted for its expert representation of vulnerable individuals, and is regularly instructed in disputes involving asylum seekers and trafficked individuals, homeless children and disabled people. This expertise is reflected in NB and Others v Secretary of State for the Home Department, a successful challenge of the use of military barracks to house asylum seekers, and Hotta v Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, challenging mandatory hotel quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The barristers at Garden Court Chambers are experienced in a wide range of community care matters, drawing on the set's recognised strengths in complementary areas such as public law, human rights, immigration and social housing. Members are highly adept at handling cases involving the closure of care homes and hospitals, needs assessments and the funding of community services. Disputes between social services authorities are also a key area of focus for the set. The barristers often appear before the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, as well as the ECtHR. Acting for claimants in judicial reviews has been a particularly fruitful area of work for Garden Court this year. A reported example is LB v Surrey County Council. Tenants have also been engaged in high-profile challenges against the government and public bodies. MOC v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is one such example concerning the suspension of patients' benefits during lengthy hospital stays. Instructing solicitors note: "The barristers at Garden Court possess profound legal knowledge and exceptional analytical skills."

Matrix Chambers is recognised as a leading set for community care and human rights matters. It houses a strong bench of barristers at both senior and junior levels who are experienced in the handling of complex cases at the intersection of community care, immigration, education and prison law, and are regularly involved in the leading cases in the field. Members act for a diverse client base including local authorities, care providers, charities and central government, as well as individual claimants. In the past year Matrix appeared for the claimant in a case concerning access to holidays and recreational activities as part of a community care plan. Barristers at Matrix also acted in Binder v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions where the claimants sought judicial review of the National Disability Strategy.

Cornerstone Barristers is noted for its expert handling of a wide range of social care and health matters, and offers representation to healthcare providers, local authorities and hospitals, as well as individuals and families. The set's barristers are regularly instructed in highly sensitive judicial review challenges relating to the care of both adults and children, and age assessment disputes concerning young asylum seekers. The team is also frequently called on to advise local authorities on strategic matters involving budgets. Members recently acted for Worcestershire County Council against the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in a matter concerning which local authority has responsibility to fund aftercare mental health services.

Landmark Chambers offers significant expertise in disputes concerning the care of both adults and children. Members are regularly instructed to act on behalf of vulnerable individuals and families, as well as several local authorities, NHS bodies, NGOs and the Department for Health and Social Care. Areas of expertise for the team include challenges arising from the cutting or reorganising of community services, age disputes involving asylum seekers and care planning for individuals in custody. The set's tenants are also frequently called on to advise government bodies on social care funding issues. Ordinary residence disputes form an additional area of strength.

Monckton Chambers is highly regarded for its representation of charities, public authorities, private companies and individual claimants in a wide range of social care cases. Monckton barristers are sought after for their expertise in judicial review challenges arising from cuts to community services and potentially discriminatory policies, and have experience appearing before the higher courts such as the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Members represented a charity which challenged the Secretary of State for introducing regulations making it unlawful to place children in care under 16 in unregulated accommodation whilst it continues to be lawful to place 16 to 17-year-olds in such accommodation.