Kings Chambers

Shem has been consecutively ranked by Legal 500 as a ‘Rising Star’. The 2026 ranking states: ‘Shemuel’s strengths are his ability to cut to the chase and to distil advice and instructions in a way which clients appreciate. He’s approachable and yet direct with his advice.’ The 2025 ranking states: ‘Shemuel is an exceptional advocate. He is patient and a good reader of his audience.’

Shem is also ranked by Chambers & Partners UK 2026 as ‘Up and Coming’ which states:

• “Shemuel Sheikh is very good at drilling down into detail very quickly and disseminating information.”
• “Shemuel Sheikh has a very good way with clients and with judges.”
• “Shemuel is just so easy to work with; he always gives clear advice and responds really quickly.”

Shem practises across all areas of administrative and public law, with a particular specialism in planning, local government, licensing and regulatory law. He acts for both developers and local authorities. He has acted in a range of public inquiries and hearings, judicial review proceedings, enforcement appeals and local authority prosecutions. He has experience in a variety of areas from planning applications and appeals (including nationally significant infrastructure projects, major applications, permitted development rights approvals, amendment applications, changes of use, discharge of conditions, s.106 agreements and listed buildings) to town and village green applications and development consent orders. With prior experience assisting NGOs he is also well placed and regularly acts in cases involving human rights matters, especially in relation to the exercise of local authority powers and governance including emergency powers and obtaining injunctions. Shem also regularly acts in licensing appeals, both for applicants and licensing authorities.

Shem is on the Attorney General’s Regional C Panel as Junior Counsel to the Crown and is also direct accss qualified. Before joining Chambers, Shem specialised in judicial review at masters level.

The Planning and Environment Bar Association (PEBA) The Constitutional and Administrative Bar Association (ALBA) The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple Northern Circuit

Barrister Training Course – Distinction, BPP London Holborn LLM Master of Laws – Distinction, University College London LLB Law with Another Legal System (Hong Kong), University College London The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple Ashworth Scholarship, Exhibition Award and Duke of Edinburgh Award BPP Advocacy Scholarship UCL Deans Scholarship OUP-ICCA National Moot Competition Champion