Leading silk Administrative and Public law: “A brilliant lawyer, who commands immediate respect from the judiciary, opponents and clients.” – Legal 500, 2016

“Undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in public law litigation, he is tactically canny and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of decided cases” – Chambers, 2015

Ian has an extensive administrative and public law practice.  His notable cases include:

Supreme Court

• Mathieson v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions – suspension of disability benefits to children in hospital unlawfully discriminatory
• R(JS) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions – benefit cap regulations in breach of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
• R (Moseley) v Haringey LBC – consultation required to set out why alternatives to proposed scheme rejected
• Cheshire West and Chester Council v P and others – deprivation of liberty of severely disabled incapacitated adults
• Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v James – the correct approach to the making of decisions about whether to give life-sustaining treatment in the case of persons lacking the capacity to make such decisions for themselves
• R(KM)Cambridgeshire CC – allocation of resources to severely disabled adults
• R(McDonald) v Kensington and Chelsea RLBC – withdrawal of social services support
• A v Essex – right to education for disabled children under Art 2 Protocol 1 ECHR
• R(A) v Croydon LBC – whether a young person is a child for the purposes of the Children Act 1989 a precedent fact for the court to determine

Court of Appeal

• R(JC) v Central Criminal Court – anonymity for child defendants in criminal proceedings
• R v I.T.N. – reporting restrictions and protected witnesses in criminal proceedings
• R(A) v Chief Constable of Kent – proportionality and disclosure of information in enhanced criminal record certificate
• Disclosure and Barring Service v SB – role of appeal court in reviewing barring decisions
• Disclosure and Baring Service v Harvey – proportionality of decision barring teacher from working with children
• R(O) v Hammersmith & Fulham LBC – residential placement of child with autism and child’s welfare
• Perry v Nursing and Midwifery Council – whether interim orders made by NMC breach art.6 ECHR
• R(O) v Barking & Dagenham LBC – duties towards children leaving care
• ET v Islington LBC – local authority duties and child sexual abuse
• R(Robson) v Salford CC – public sector equality duty and change of transport policy
• R(Naureen) v Salford CC – costs of compromised proceedings
• R(M) v Haringey Independent Appeals Panel –  local authority schools admissions policy and prejudice to oversubscribed schools
• R(Rodgers) v Swindon PCT – rationality of refusal to provide cancer drug

High Court

• R (S) v NHS England – successful challenge to decision to refuse funding for narcolepsy medication on basis Claimant’s needs were not ‘exceptional’
• R(HA) v Ealing LBC – lawfulness of residence requirement in housing allocation policy, discrimination against victims of domestic violence
• R(Dyer) v Welsh Ministers and others –  duty on Welsh Ministers and Health Boards to provide adequate secure residential mental health provision
• R(L) v Warwickshire CC –  consultation on changes to provision of services for disabled children
• R(Mohamed) v Islington Safeguarding Children’s Board – duty to conduct serious case review into death of a child
• R(N) v Walsall Council – capital from clinical negligence award held by deputy not to be taken into account when charging for adult social care services
• R(T) v Secretary of State for Justice – lawfulness of detention of child in cell block with adults
• Waxman v CPS – lawfulness of CPS decision to discontinue prosecution of stalker, human rights damages
• R(W and others) v Birmingham CC – lawfulness of adult social care budget and policy
• HH v Westminster City Magistrates’ Court – extradition of adult with serious mental health problems and dependent children
• McVey v Secretary of State for Health – refusal of Secretary of State to amend compensation scheme for victims of vCJD in accordance with recommendations of trustees
• R(Royal College of Nursing) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – incompatibility with art 6 ECHR of regulations automatically barring nurses from working with vulnerable people
• R(KS) v Croydon LBC – duties towards looked after children who are not in school
• Welsh Ministers v Care Standard Tribunal –  registration of care home mangers
• R(J) v Caerphilly CBC –  local authority responsibilities towards child leaving care
• CF v Secretary of State for the Home Department –  separation of mothers and babies in custody, art 8 ECHR
• R(Howard League for Penal Reform) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – applicability of children Act 1989 in custodial settings

Cases

“He has had an enormous impact on the development of the law in this area” – Chambers, 2016

Ian was counsel to the Healthwatch England ‘Special Inquiry into safe discharge from hospitals, care homes and secure settings’ which reported in 2015.

Among Ian’s notable cases in this area are:

Supreme Court

• Cheshire West and Chester Council v P and others – deprivation of liberty of severely disabled incapacitated adults
• Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v James – the correct approach to the making of decisions about whether to give life-sustaining treatment in the case of persons lacking the capacity to make such decisions for themselves
• R(KM)Cambridgeshire CC – allocation of resources to severely disabled adults
• R(McDonald) v Kensington and Chelsea RLBC – withdrawal of social services support

Court of Appeal

• R(O) v Barking & Dagenham LBC – duties towards children leaving care
• ET v Islington LBC – local authority duties and child sexual abuse
• R(Robson) v Salford CC – public sector equality duty and change of transport policy
• R(Rodgers) v Swindon PCT – rationality of refusal to provide cancer drug

High Court

• R(Dyer) v Welsh Ministers and others –  duty on Welsh Ministers and Health Boards to provide adequate secure residential mental health provision
• R(L) v Warwickshire CC –  consultation on changes to provision of services for disabled children
• R(Mohamed) v Islington Safeguarding Children’s Board – duty to conduct serious case review into death of a child
• R(N) v Walsall Council – capital from clinical negligence award held by deputy not to be taken into account when charging for adult social care services
• R(J) v Caerphilly CBC –  local authority responsibilities towards child leaving care
• CF v Secretary of State for the Home Department –  separation of mothers and babies in custody, art 8 ECHR

Ian is recognised as a leading silk in local government law and has been involved in many of the most important local government cases of the last decade.  Among his more notable cases in this area are:

Supreme Court

• R (Moseley) v Haringey LBC – consultation required to set out why alternatives to proposed scheme rejected
• Cheshire West and Chester Council v P and others – deprivation of liberty of severely disabled incapacitated adults
• R(KM)Cambridgeshire CC – allocation of resources to severely disabled adults
• R(McDonald) v Kensington and Chelsea RLBC – withdrawal of social services support
• A v Essex – right to education for disabled children under Art 2 Protocol 1 ECHR
• R(A) v Croydon LBC – whether a young person is a child for the purposes of the Children Act 1989 a precedent fact for the court to determine

Court of Appeal

• R(O) v Barking & Dagenham LBC – duties towards children leaving care
• ET v Islington LBC – local authority duties and child sexual abuse
• R(Robson) v Salford CC – public sector equality duty and change of transport policy
• R(Naureen) v Salford CC – costs of compromised proceedings
• R(M) v Haringey Independent Appeals Panel –  local authority schools admissions policy and prejudice to oversubscribed schools
• R(O) v Hammersmith & Fulham LBC – residential placement of child with autism and child’s welfare

High Court

• R(HA) v Ealing LBC – lawfulness of residence requirement in housing allocation policy, discrimination against victims of domestic violence
• R(L) v Warwickshire CC –  consultation on changes to provision of services for disabled children
• R(Mohamed) v Islington Safeguarding Children’s Board – duty to conduct serious case review into death of a child
• R(N) v Walsall Council – capital from clinical negligence award held by deputy not to be taken into account when charging for adult social care services
• R(W and others) v Birmingham CC – lawfulness of adult social care budget and policy
• R(J) v Caerphilly CBC –  local authority responsibilities towards child leaving care

Ian has considerable experience in regulatory law, particularly in the healthcare and education fields.  His notable cases include:

• R(A) v Chief Constable of Kent – proportionality and disclosure of information in enhanced criminal record certificate
• Disclosure and Barring Service v SB – role of appeal court in reviewing barring decisions
• Disclosure and Baring Service v Harvey – proportionality of decision barring teacher from working with children
• Perry v Nursing and Midwifery Council – whether interim orders made by NMC breach art.6 ECHR
• Welsh Ministers v Care Standard Tribunal –  registration of care home mangers
• R(Royal College of Nursing) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – incompatibility with art 6 ECHR of regulations automatically barring nurses from working with vulnerable people

“A leader on the issue of children’s rights” – Chambers, 2015

Legal 500 describes Ian as having been “the driving force in all the landmark test cases for children in recent years”.

Ian has been recognised as a leading silk in Education Law for a number of years and combines his expertise in this area with his considerable experience in children’s law generally.  Among his notable cases in this area are:

• A v Essex – right to education for disabled children under Art 2 Protocol 1 ECHR
• R(O) v Hammersmith & Fulham LBC – residential placement of child with autism and child’s welfare
• R(M) v Haringey Independent Appeals Panel –  local authority schools admissions policy and prejudice to oversubscribed schools
• R(KS) v Croydon LBC – duties towards looked after children who are not in school
• R(L) v Warwickshire CC –  consultation on changes to provision of services for disabled children

Many of Ian’s cases involve equality and discrimination issues both through art 14 ECHR and the Equality Act 2010.  He also has considerable expertise in cases concerning the public sector equality duty.  His notable cases in this area include:

• Mathieson v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Supreme Court) – suspension of disability benefits to children in hospital unlawfully discriminatory, discrimination against disabled children in hospital
• R(JS) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Supreme Court) – benefit cap regulations in breach of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, gender discrimination
• R(HA) v Ealing LBC – lawfulness of residence requirement in housing allocation policy, discrimination against victims of domestic violence
• R(W and others) v Birmingham CC – lawfulness of adult social care budget and policy, disability equality duties in setting local authority budget and determining policies

“He has a broader constitutional picture in his mind at all times” – Chambers, 2015

Ian has an extensive advisory practice, advising a wide range of organisations including charities and public bodies on corporate governance and policy issues.  He has also contributed to two recent reports of the Law Commission.

Allied to his work for vulnerable adults and children Ian has appeared in numerous best interest cases in the High Court and has appeared in the Court of Protection.

Ian appeared in the Supreme Court in the only two cases to reach that court from the Court of Protection; Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v James [2013] 3 W.L.R. 1299 and Cheshire West and Chester Council v P [2014] 2 W.L.R. 642.

Administrative & Public Law: “Ian is very good in court.” – Chambers UK, 2025

Civil Liberties & Human Rights: “Ian is a long-standing public law and human rights specialist.” – Chambers UK, 2025

Community Care: “Ian Wise is highly respected.” – Chambers UK, 2025

Education: “Ian is a public law heavy-hitter who rolls up his sleeves and gets stuck in.”– Chambers UK, 2025

Local Government  – Chambers UK, 2025

Social Housing: “Ian wise is very good.” – Chambers UK, 2025

Leading silk in Administrative Law and Human Rights: “A silk who builds great rapport with both client and court.” – Legal 500, 2025

Leading silk in Court of protection: health and welfare – Legal 500, 2025

Leading silk in Education – Legal 500, 2025

Leading silk in Social Housing – Legal 500, 2025

Administrative & Public Law: “Very knowledgeable, and a leading silk in this area whom I would not hesitate to instruct again.” – Chambers UK, 2024

Civil Liberties & Human Rights: “He is in so many leading cases. He is absolutely tenacious; it’s great as a solicitor to have a barrister who will fight for you. When it looked like we were going to lose, he fought back. His experience and expertise is incredibly highly regarded in the courts.” – Chambers UK, 2024

Community Care: “There is nothing about community care law which Ian doesn’t know.” – Chambers UK, 2024

Education: “He is very knowledgeable and he is definitely someone I would recommend.” “There is nothing that fazes Ian Wise. Clients love his frank advice and his willingness to take on even the most challenging cases.” – Chambers UK, 2024

Local Government: “Ian is very good with clients and able to cut through to identify key issues quickly.” – Chambers UK, 2024

Social Housing: “He is an expert in his field.” “Ian Wise KC is accessible and incredibly knowledgeable .” – Chambers UK, 2024

Leading silk in Administrative Law and Human Rights: “A silk who builds great rapport with both client and court.” – Legal 500, 2024

Leading silk in Court of Protection and Community Care – Legal 500, 2024

Leading silk in Education: “Ian is a very strong advocate.” – Legal 500, 2024

Leading silk in Social Housing – Legal 500, 2024

Administrative & Public Law: “Ian is so impressive. He really knows his stuff and if you’re wanting to run a cutting-edge point, there is no finer choice.” “His knowledge base is incredible and his recall of the law and willingness to push cases forcefully is excellent.” – Chambers UK, 2023

Civil Liberties & Human Rights: “One of the finest practitioners in his field.” – Chambers UK, 2023

Community Care: “Ian is incredibly knowledgeable.” – Chambers UK, 2023

Education: “Ian has a strong reputation.” “Ian is known for the human rights challenges he brings.” – Chambers UK, 2023

Local Government: “He has a tremendous track record.” – Chambers UK, 2023

Social Housing: “Utterly reliable and has an amazing ability to deal with complex cases efficiently and thoroughly .” – Chambers UK, 2023

Leading silk in Administrative Law and Human Rights: “Very strong advocate especially in senior appellate courts.” – Legal 500, 2023

Leading silk in Court of Protection and Community Care – Legal 500, 2023

Leading silk in Education: “Ian is a very strong advocate.” – Legal 500, 2023

Leading silk in Social Housing – Legal 500, 2023

Administrative & Public Law: “Ian Wise QC gets extraordinary results. He is courageous, proactive and has encyclopedic knowledge.” – Chambers UK, 2022

Community Care: “Ian is incredibly efficient, very pragmatic, extremely experienced with amazing ability to deal efficiently and thoroughly with complex cases.” “Ian is very courageous and proactive and gets extraordinary results.” – Chambers UK, 2022

Education: “He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law, is very proactive and gets extraordinary results.” “He has excellent negotiation skills and is a safe pair of hands. He’s also very good with clients.” – Chambers UK, 2022

Local Government: “He gets extraordinary results and is courageous, proactive and has an encyclopedic knowledge.” – Chambers UK, 2022

Social Housing: “He’s incredibly efficient, very pragmatic, extremely experienced and down to earth.” – Chambers UK, 2022

Leading silk in Civil Liberties and Human Rights (including actions against the police) – Legal 500, 2022

Leading silk in Administrative and public law (including local government): “One of the leading silks in the field. His ability to recall and apply the law to very complex legal issues is second to none.” – Legal 500, 2022

Leading silk in Education – Legal 500, 2022

Leading silk in Social Housing – Legal 500, 2022

Administrative & Public Law: “Ian has an exceptional mind and has worked on some of the leading cases in the field. His knowledge is second to none; I also like the fact that I can get hold of him.” – Chambers UK, 2021

Local Government: “He’s tenacious and fights hard for his clients.” “He has the ability to handle the unexpected.” – Chambers UK, 2021

Education: “He has real gravitas and a huge knowledge base. He also has great negotiation skills and gets on really well with his clients.” “He is very creative and tenacious in court.” – Chambers UK, 2021

Community Care: “He has the ability to handle the unexpected.” “He is particularly tenacious and runs cases very well.” “Excellent – his judgement is second to none.” – Chambers UK, 2021

Leading silk in Administrative and public law (including local government): ‘A first choice of leader in complex discrimination and other judicial review claims. Always produces succinct and compelling written and oral submissions. Very well organised and always turns around instructions quickly and meets deadlines. Proactive and good on tactics and strategy. Responsive and down-to-earth.’ – Legal 500, 2021

Leading silk in Civil Liberties and Human Rights (including actions against the police): ‘A first-rate human rights practitioner.’ – Legal 500, 2021

Leading silk in Education: ‘He can immediately identify the issues and is always one step ahead of his opposition.’ – Legal 500, 2021

Leading silk in Social Housing: ‘A top pick for social housing work with a public law aspect, in particular discrimination and other challenges relating to social housing allocations schemes, or accommodation duties where there is a need for co-operation between social services and housing departments.’  – Legal 500, 2021

Administrative & Public Law: “Well known for his practical and wide-ranging expertise in public law.” – Chambers UK, 2020

Local Government: “A well-established silk who certainly knows what he is doing.” “He is absolutely brilliant and very good to work with.” “He is very down to earth, knowledgeable and capable, with an incredibly fast mind.” – Chambers UK, 2020

Education: “A high-quality and no-nonsense silk. He’s not afraid of a challenge or to pursue difficult and novel points. He pushes the borders of law further.” “He’s an excellent negotiator, a safe pair of hands and is very good with clients.” – Chambers UK, 2020

Community Care: “He’s very knowledgeable, capable and has an incredibly fast mind. He cuts straight through the issues to get to the heart of the matter.” “You could give him the most complex case and he somehow makes it straightforward. He’s also very compelling in court.” – Chambers UK, 2020

Leading silk in Administrative and public law (including local government): ‘A brilliant lawyer and great in court.’ – Legal 500, 2020

Leading silk in Civil Liberties and Human Rights (including actions against the police): ‘Has a breadth of experience, knowledge and tactical nous; is thorough, proactive, pleasant and efficient.’ – Legal 500, 2020

Leading silk in Education: ‘He can immediately identify the issues and is always one step ahead of his opposition.’ – Legal 500, 2020

Leading silk in Social Housing: ‘He has experience of cases concerning the lawfulness of housing allocation policies, and also matters involving housing obligations to children with disabilities.’  – Legal 500, 2020

Administrative & Public Law:  “If you need to talk to someone about community care, he’s one of the best brains in the country.” “Very good at pursuing public law points concerning welfare for children. Extremely intelligent, with great experience in the area. He’s very committed and reliable, and someone who produces excellent written work.” “A man with a bright mind, he is very proactive about strategy. He relates to people from all backgrounds; he’s down-to-earth and a breath of fresh air.” “Makes his clients feel at ease.” – Chambers UK, 2019

Community Care: “If you need to talk to someone about community care, he’s one of the best brains in the country.” “Very good at pursuing public law points concerning welfare for children.” – Chambers UK, 2019

Education: “He has excellent negotiation skills and is a safe pair of hands who is very good with clients.” – Chambers UK, 2019

Local Government: “He’s a fantastic negotiator. As he has been practising for so long, he has an accumulated knowledge and is able to cut straight to the heart of the matter.” – Chambers UK, 2019

Leading silk in Administrative and public law (including local government): ‘He immediately identifies the issues and is always one step ahead of his opposition.’ – Legal 500, 2018

Leading silk in Civil Liberties and Human Rights (including actions against the police): ‘A formidable advocate and tactician with a great understanding of human rights.’ – Legal 500, 2018

Leading silk in Education: ‘He can immediately identify the issues and is always one step ahead of his opposition.’ – Legal 500, 2018

Leading silk in Social Housing: ‘One of the foremost experts on housing benefit allocations.’  – Legal 500, 2018

Administrative & Public Law:  “He’s very reliable and does everything he says he will, which is an amazing skill coupled with great intelligence. He has a very good manner with everybody. His written work is excellent, he is very down to earth and he can grapple with a wide range of cases. He can turn his hand easily to new issues.” – Chambers UK, 2018

Community Care: “His cases often push the boundaries. His work on the ‘bedroom tax’ and housing allocation schemes once again displayed his knowledge and creativity.” – Chambers UK, 2018

Education: “He’s down-to-earth, shows empathy, and is able to have a meeting and put you at ease straight away. Very intelligent, he is able to put things across to clients in a very clear and sensitive manner.” “Ian Wise QC has been involved in innovative cases in education law and is always ready to take an imaginative approach in ways that will change the law for others too. He sees around obstacles and has won lots of leading cases.” – Chambers UK, 2018

Local Government: “He is well known for his practical and wide-ranging expertise.” – Chambers UK, 2018

Leading silk in Administrative and public law (including local government): ‘‘A formidable advocate and tactician.’’ – Legal 500, 2017

Leading silk in Civil Liberties and Human Rights (including actions against the police): ‘‘Down to earth, approachable and very good in court.’’ – Legal 500, 2017

Leading silk in Education: ‘‘Highly regarded for his expertise in cases involving children.’’ – Legal 500, 2017

Leading silk in Social Housing: ‘‘Extremely knowledgeable and approachable.’’ – Legal 500, 2017

Administrative & Public Law: “A pragmatic and approachable silk with a wealth of public law experience. Very determined and knowledgeable. Down-to-earth and good with clients.” “Tenacious and regularly exposes new ground in cases. He is clearly very experienced and a real heavyweight.”  – Chambers UK, 2017

Community Care: “He’s charming, easy to deal with, and a sharp-witted practitioner. He’ll take the points and take them very well, charming the judge along the way.” – Chambers UK, 2017

Education: “Always extremely impressive.” “He’s very knowledgeable and highly tactical in his approach.” – Chambers uk, 2017

Local Government: “Clients are always extremely impressed with him.” – Chambers UK, 2017

Leading silk Administrative and Public law: “A brilliant lawyer, who commands immediate respect from the judiciary, opponents and clients.” – Legal 500, 2016

Leading silk in Civil liberties and Human rights: “A pioneering and campaigning silk, fantastic at spotting good points.” – Legal 500, 2016

Leading silk in Education: “His practice focuses on the rights of children.” – Legal 500, 2016

Leading silk in Social Housing:  “A pleasure to work with.” – Legal 500, 2016

Administrative & Public Law: “Very determined, knowledgeable, down-to-earth and good with clients.” – Chambers UK, 2016

Community Care: “He has had an enormous impact on the development of law in this area.” “He has tenacity and determination. The breadth of his work to do with welfare and access to care and support is second to none and shows no sign of abating. People are very loyal to him.” – Chambers UK, 2016 

Education: “Very, very experienced public lawyer who is strong on policy challenges.” – Chambers UK, 2016

Local Government: “A real claimant person, who presents things in a ‘tough cookie’ style.” “Makes good, strong arguments.” – Chambers UK, 2016

”He provides authoritative advice and advocacy.” Leading Silk in  Civil Liberties and Human Rights Law. Legal 500, 2015

”An exceptional legal mind.” Leading Silk in Education Law. Legal 500, 2015 

Administrative & Public Law:  “Undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in public law litigation, he is tactically canny and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of decided cases.” “A formidable opponent who develops a good line of argument in court.”  – Chambers UK, 2015

Civil Liberties & Human Rights: “He is very approachable, really clear and not at all elitist in his approach. He has a broader constitutional picture in his mind at all times.” – Chambers UK, 2015

Community Care: “Undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in public law litigation. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of decided cases and stays completely up to date with developments in all aspects of public law.” “A tenacious lawyer who has incredible insight into the Convention on the Rights of the Child and how it should be developed.” – Chambers UK, 2015

Education: “A very pragmatic advocate, who works very quickly and is good on his feet. He’s very clear and is a leader on the issue of children’s rights.” – Chambers UK, 2015

Local Government: “He has a very adventurous approach.” “An attractive advocate.” – Chambers UK, 2015

‘Manages to find the perfect balance of approachability and providing exceptional legal work.’ Ian Wise QC is recommended as a leading Silk in Civil Liberties & Human Rights Law – Legal 500, 2014

‘A compelling advocate.’ Ian Wise QC is recommended as a leading Silk in Education Law – Legal 500, 2014