Central & Local Government
Shazia acts for both claimants (including children and vulnerable adults) and local authorities within this area including judicial review proceedings, claims in negligence and advisory work in respect of the duties of local authorities. She also advises in respect of complaints to the Local Government Ombudsman and has secured successful outcomes for clients via this route.
Discrimination
Shazia’s public law discrimination work often concerns disability and race discrimination and the compliance with the general duty on public authorities to promote equality of disabled people and those from BME backgrounds.. Shazia has an in-depth knowledge of the Equality Act and has successfully run discrimination challenges including, race and disability discrimination. Shazia also has knowledge of Sharia law and practice and has carried out advisory work in this area.
Human Rights & Civil Liberties
Shazia acts for individuals, local authorities and NGOs in relation to the application of the Human Rights Act 1998 to public law claims particularly regarding the impact of Articles 6, 8 and 14 ECHR and Article 2 of the First Protocol (the right to education) and also in the context of international law and instruments such as the UN Convention on the Right of the Child and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Judicial Review
Shazia’s experience includes involvement in judicial reviews of schools, the Secretary of State for Education, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, social services departments, local authorities, admission and exclusion appeal panels, the Local Government Ombudsman and the Legal Services Commission. Shazia brings and defends judicial review claims for individuals, government, charities and campaigning bodies. Her work includes permission and substantive hearings, interim relief applications and a wide range of interim applications involving education, local government, community care, and procurement and human rights challenges.
Procurement
Shazia has worked with companies on procurement questions. This includes pre- and post-tender advisory work advising both authorities and unsuccessful bidders on the legality of the procurement process. Clients include solicitor’s firms, NGO’s and public authorities. Her knowledge of EU directives and regulation in this area is a particular strength when advising clients. She has written and advised on the changes within the recent Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
Community Care
Shazia advises and represents local authorities and individuals in community care cases including section 47 care assessments and in the provision of accommodation by local authority social services departments under both the National Assistance Act 1948 and the Children Act 1989 and acted for the in the case of Kebede v Newcastle City Council.
She has a particular interest in the rights of care leavers under the Children Act 1989.She also has experience both acting against and representing parties with significant mental health problems, including cases involving the Official Solicitor and other litigation friends.
Court of Protection
Shazia has acted for a number of authorities and individuals, in cases involving vulnerable adults which have been referred to the Court of Protection.
Shazia’s knowledge of education and community care law in the adult and child context means she has excellent knowledge of the assessment and service provision of health, social care and education for vulnerable adults, (including those with learning disabilities and elderly adults with mental and physical disabilities) and has secured successful outcomes for clients seeking local authority funding within this context.
She has also undertaken cases involving issues of emotional, physical and financial abuse, she has experience of the interrelationship between the Court of Protection and the Administrative Court, particularly in the context of service provision decisions.
EU Law
Shazia has advised individuals on the role of EU law and treaties including the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and its applicability and has an excellent understanding of this area within the public law context.