Tony Harrop-Griffiths practises in public (administrative) law. His main clients are local authorities, principally their Social Services departments. He is instructed on a regular basis by about a third of the London boroughs, as well as several city and some county councils. He is also occasionally instructed in claims against authorities.
He has a detailed knowledge of all administrative law issues that relate to the work of Social Services, in particular with regard to the relationship between community care and immigration/asylum legislation. He uses this knowledge in advisory work, in the High Court in claims for judicial review, in the formulation of policies and procedures and in lectures and seminars. His general civil work mostly relates to the recovery of charges for community care, in particular where there is a personal injury claim.
Most of his reported cases concern local authority support for children and families under the Children Act 1989. However, his work as a whole is evenly split between this area and matters concerning adults, including under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
If you would like more information about Tony’s practice, please contact his clerks or call +44 (0)20 7405 6114.
Current workload
Tony’s current workload includes:
Support for persons from abroad: Schedule 3 to the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, human rights, EU Treaty rights, M v. Slough cases, section 4 support from NASS, age assessments
Mainstream community care: Ordinary residence disputes, reduction in services (consultation, legitimate expectation and disability discrimination), direct payments, NHS continuing care, CRAG, charging and personal injury claims, relationship between housing assistance and section 21 accommodation
Mainstream support for children and families: Relationship between sections 17 and 20 of the Children Act, payments to special guardians and adopters, leaving care functions, intentionally homeless families, inter-authority disputes
Mental health: Court of Protection work (both property and welfare), after-care services, displacement of nearest relative
Confidentiality and disclosure: Data protection, PII
He also has experience of claims for judicial review concerning housing, education, local government finance, immigration and inquests
Recent cases
- R (Sunderland CC) v. South Tyneside C [2012] EWCA Civ – meaning of ‘resident’ in section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983
- R (AE) v. LB Croydon [2012] EWCA Civ 547 – age assessment
- R (AS) v. LB Ealing [2012] EWHC 356 – age assessment
- K v. LBX [2012] EWCA Civ 79 – best interests in the Court of Protection
- LB Hillingdon v. Neary [2011] EWHC 3522 – ECHR claim in the Court of Protection
- R (VC) v. Newcastle CC [2011] EWHC 2673 – support for a family under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 and under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- R (SL) v. Westminster CC [2011] EWCA Civ 954 – accommodation under section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948
Other notable cases
- R (FL) v. LB Lambeth [2010] EWHC 49
Whether duty owed to a child under section 20 of the Children Act - LB Enfield v. SA [2010] EWHC 196
Evidence and disclosure in the Court of Protection - R (A) v. LB Lambeth [2010] EWHC 1652
Leaving care functions under the Children Act 1989 - R (Birara) v. LB Hounslow [2010] EWHC 2113
Leaving care functions under the Children Act 1989 - R (MM) v. LB Lewisham [2009] EWHC 416
Accommodation under section 20 of the Children Act 1989 - R (Liverpool CC) v. LB Hillingdon [2009] EWCA Civ 43
Inter-authority dispute about support for a child - R (A) v. LB Enfield [2008] EWHC 1886 (Admin)
Placing of child’s name on Child Protection Register - PCT v. AH [2008] EWHC 1403
Welfare case in the Court of Protection - R (LB Hillingdon et al.) v. Lord Chancellor et al. [2008] EWHC 2683 (Admin)
Challenge to increase in court fees for bringing care proceedings – acted for NSPCC - R (A) v. Liverpool CC [2007] EWHC 1477
Age assessment - R (Mooney) v. LB Southwark [2006] EWHC 1912
Accommodation under section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948 - R (Binomugisha) v. LB Southwark [2006] EWHC 2254
Application of Schedule 3 to the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 - R (Hughes) v. Liverpool CC [2005] EWHC 428
Accommodation under section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948 - R (O) v. LB Haringey [2004] EWCA Civ 535
Accommodation under section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948 - R (T) v. LB Enfield [2004] EWHC 2297
Age assessment - R v. LB Ealing ex p. G [2002] EWHC 250
Issue concerning nearest relative for purposes of the Mental Health Act 1983 - R v. LB Barnet ex p. G [2001] EWCA Civ 540
Accommodation for family under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 - R (Khana) v. LB Southwark [2001] EWCA Civ 999
Accommodation under section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948 - R v. LB Brent ex p. Sadiq (2000) HC
Duty to house under section 193 of the Housing Act 1996 - R v. LB Islington ex p. Batantu (2000) HC
Accommodation under section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948 - R v. LB Ealing ex p. C (1999) CA
Accommodation for family under section 17 of the Children Act
- R (FL) v. LB Lambeth [2010] EWHC 49
Rankings
- Leading Barrister in Community Care and Local Government – Chambers and Partners, 2022
- Leading Barrister in Community Care and Local Government – Chambers and Partners, 2021
- Leading Junior in Administrative and public law (including local government) – Legal 500, 2015
- Band 1 Leading Junior in Community Care – Chambers & Partners 2013
- Leading Junior Local Government & Public Law – Legal 500 2013 and 2012
- Leading Junior in Community Care – Legal 500 2011 “One of the best community care barristers in practice”
Education
- BA (Manchester)
Professional memberships
- ALBA