Garden Court Chambers invites tenancy applications from busy practitioners practising in Community Care Law.
We are looking to recruit to our claimant-focused Community Care Law Team. Applications are invited from barristers of all levels of call, from four years call upwards.
Garden Court has an established reputation for expertise in all the main areas of Community Care Law and is recognised as a leading set in Community Care Law in Chambers & Partners and Legal 500
We are a busy team instructed in claimant-focused judicial review work at all levels including test cases and urgent applications. Our team members contribute to publications and training events and play an active role in groups such as Legal Action Group and Community Care Lawyers Group.
The team’s recent high-profile recent casework in this area includes:
- Secretary of State for the Home Department v First-Tier Tribunal (Asylum Support) [2025] EWCA Civ 1654: Landmark judgment confirming the powers of the Asylum Support Tribunal in respect of decisions to terminate or refuse asylum support where the Home Office has – in many cases improperly – treated asylum claims as “implicitly withdrawn”.
- Angus Cameron v Secretary of State for Justice [2025] EWCA Civ 1574: Significant guidance case on the jurisdiction of the First-tier Tribunal (Mental Health), concerning whether provisions in the Mental Health Act 1983 oust jurisdiction in respect of a detainee’s previously acquired right of appeal, in circumstances where the Secretary of State for Justice has the power to make a referral.
- R (A) v North Central London Integrated Care Board [2025] EWCA Civ 48: Leading case on when a disabled child can make a claim in restitution for unjust enrichment, in circumstances where their parent has paid the costs of their healthcare, and in circumstances where a public authority has been found to be in breach of a statutory duty.
- DP v London Borough of Lambeth [2025] EWCA Civ 985: Appeal allowed and remitted to the First-tier Tribunal where expert evidence obtained after a hearing showed that the Appellant had faced difficulties conducting her Housing Benefit due to a lack of capacity and this had not been recognised by the Tribunal at the time.
- R (AAM) v London Borough of Bromley [2025] EWHC 1565 (Admin): The High Court held that local authorities cannot consider Home Office accommodation when deciding whether to accommodate a ‘Qualifying Young Person’ leaving care.
- R (BDH) v London Borough of Lambeth [2025] EWHC 2568 (Admin): The High Court ordered the Defendant to reassess a disabled child’s social care needs after finding that its decision to terminate her social care direct payments was unlawful because of process irrationality. The case provides important guidance in respect of how local authorities should determine eligibility for direct payments.
- R (BLZ) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2025] EWHC 153 (Admin) and (BLZ No.2: R (BLZ) v Leeds City Council [2025] EWHC 154 (Admin): Across two linked judgments, the High Court ruled that the Home Office systemically failed to provide safe and suitable accommodation to disabled applicants. The High Court provided guidance on the interaction between Schedule 10 accommodation and the Care Act 2014.
- R (TdB, by his litigation friend NP) v London Borough of Haringey [2025] EWHC 2014 (Admin): A judicial review challenging a local authority’s operation of policy/practice in relation to the criteria for eligibility for learning disability services, and approach to overlapping duties under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Care Act 2014.
Our new recruit would be supported to develop their practice in complementary areas of practice such as Administrative and Public Law, Court of Protection or Education Law, in which we are also recognised in directories as a leading set.
For a confidential, informal discussion in advance of applying, please contact Ollie Persey of the Garden Court Chambers Community Care Law Team at oliverp@gclaw.co.uk.
To find out more about our team, please visit our Community Care Law Team page.
All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
The closing date for applications is Friday 8 May 2026 at 4pm.
To apply, please complete and return both the application form and equal opportunities monitoring form to Mia Hakl-Law, Chief Operating Officer at miah@gclaw.co.uk.
We consider applications on an equal opportunity basis and we are committed to equality and diversity. Applications for tenancy from ethnic minority and women candidates are particularly welcome. We also welcome applications from exceptional candidates outside the advertised procedure.
