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Iscoed Chambers

Chambers of Elwen Evans QC

86 ST HELEN'S ROAD, SWANSEA, SA1 4BQ, WALES

What we say about the set's legal practice in Regional Bar

Wales Circuit

Within Commercial litigation,

Mark Spackman at Iscoed Chambers is recommended for commercial litigation and insolvency matters.

Within Crime,

Iscoed Chambers’ Elwen Evans QC has a solid reputation on circuit and is able to conduct entire trials in Welsh. John Hipkin, Ian Wright and Huw Rees are popular and experienced juniors.

Within Overview, Iscoed Chambers (Chambers of Elwen Evans QC) is a second tier firm,

The Cardiff Bar is divided with sets which took the leap to become specialist and those which chose to develop the traditional common law model. Civitas Law is the preeminent civil and public law set and is the only holder of BARMARK in Wales. Apex Chambers is a specialist criminal and regulatory law set, and continues to attract new members and high-profile instructions. 30 Park Place and 9 Park Place are major players on the circuit in a wide range of areas. Temple Chambers, with bases in Cardiff and Newport, has strong family and criminal teams and is stealing a march over other sets on the immigration front. Iscoed Chambers and Angel Chambers are the leaders at the Swansea Bar. The Welsh government’s successful bid for increased law-making powers is a milestone for Wales.

Within Personal injury and clinical negligence,

At Iscoed Chambers, David Harris is very popular for PI matters; Elizabeth Marshall handles employers’ liability matters for local authorities; and Catherine Richards has a busy claimant-focused trade union practice.

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Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

  • HOUSING

    In Nzinga Maswaku v Westminster City Council [2012] EWCA Civ 669 the Court of Appeal clarified that in offering a homeless person with alternative temporary accommodation the local authority is obliged to point that if the offer is refused it has discharged its Part VII duties under the Housing Act 1996.
    - 11KBW

  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
    - 11KBW

  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
    - 11KBW

  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
    - 11KBW

  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW

  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
    - 11KBW

  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
    - 11KBW

  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue:
    - Penningtons Solicitors LLP
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