Ranked in 1 Practice Areas
1

Band 1

Education: Individuals

UK-wide

6 Years Ranked

About

Provided by Qaisar Sheikh

UK

Practice Areas

Before joining Winckworth Sherwood, Qaisar served as Head of Education Law at Coram for several years, leading a team of 13 to 15 caseworkers focused on addressing legal issues faced by children and young people.

Qaisar has considerable experience in education, public and discrimination law, having acted in a broad range of legal matters, many complex and involving young people with significant needs. His practice benefits from his family law training, where he worked in areas that often cross over with education (such as care proceedings, child protection and private children disputes). He has acted in several reported cases that have brought about further judicial guidance and legal precedence in areas of SEN and discrimination. These cases include:

East Sussex County Council v KS (SEN): [2017] UKUT 273 (AAC)

M v Hertfordshire County Council (SEN): [2019] UKUT 37 (AAC)

F v Responsible Body of School W [2020] UKUT 112 (AAC)

London Borough of Southwark v WE (alternative person for OA): [2021] UKUT 241 (AAC)

London Borough of Redbridge v H O (SEN): [2020] UKUT 323 (AAC)

H (child) v London Borough of Hillingdon [2021]

London Borough of Croydon v K.A. [2022] UKUT 106 (AAC)

In 2023, Qaisar won the prestigious Law Society Legal Hero award for his far-reaching work securing education, health and social care support for young people with additional needs. Prior to this, he won the widely respected Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year award in 2022 (Public Law category).

Qaisar has been nationally ranked in Chambers and Partners since 2020 and currently sits in Band 1 for Education, with only a small number of other solicitors. As his strengths, Chambers notes that Qaisar “provides an outstanding service” and is “an excellent education solicitor and rated very highly”. Further, “he is a fantastic and genuine solicitor who conducts himself professionally”.

Recent experience

Advising and acting in disability discrimination claims brought in the first-tier tribunal.

Advising on a complex discrimination matter in respect of school admissions.

Advising and acting in a range of special educational needs matters, including complex challenges of local authority decisions regarding SEN, EHCPs, health and social care and residential school/ college placements.

Advising on LA duties to children with SEN or medical needs, including funding for schools.

Advising on school exclusion matters.

Advising in relation to a range of general school issues, such as complaints, school bans, home to school transport, consultations for changes to school admission’s policies and SEN funding.

Delivering Equality Act and SEND law training

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

UK

Education: Individuals - UK-wide
1
Band 1

Qaisar Sheikh is very highly regarded in the field for his broad practice representing parents, children and young people. He frequently assists with appeals to the SEND Tribunal regarding school placement and the contents of Education, Health and Care Plans.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Discover other Lawyers at
Winckworth Sherwood

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

London (Firms)

Construction: Non-contentious

6
Eleanor Kilminster
6
Band 6
Employment: Senior Executive

3
Bettina Bender
3
Band 3
4
Andrew Yule
4
Band 4
4
Louise Lawrence
4
Band 4
4
Susan Kelly
4
Band 4
Planning

5
Lindsay Garratt
5
Band 5
Real Estate Litigation

3
Emma Chadwick
3
Band 3
Real Estate: £50-150 million

2
Andrew Bedford
2
Band 2
Social Housing

1
Charlie Proddow
1
Band 1
4
Ruth Barnes
4
Band 4

North West

Planning

1
Colette McCormack
1
Band 1
Matthew Steinbrecher
Associates to watch

Thames Valley

Real Estate Litigation

Jane Bloomer
Associates to watch

UK-wide

Charities

2
Alison Talbot
2
Band 2
3
Joanna Bussell
3
Band 3
Education: Individuals

Qaisar Sheikh
1
Qaisar Sheikh
1
Band 1
Education: Institutions (Schools)

3
Andrea Squires
3
Band 3
Licensing

2
Robert Botkai
2
Band 2
Local Government

3
Joanna Bussell
3
Band 3
Parliamentary & Public Affairs: Parliamentary Agency

S
Hazel Anderson
S
Senior Statespeople
20 of 27 results