Year of call: 2021
Shem is ranked by Legal 500 as a ‘Rising Star’ which states: ‘Shemuel is an exceptional advocate. He is patient and a good reader of his audience.’
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 Panel of Junior Junior Counsel, is direct accss qualified and part of Advocate’s Pro-Bono Pledge. Before joining Chambers, Shem specialised in judicial review at masters level.
Shem has a particular specialism in planning and environmental law. He acts for both developers and local authorities. He is also direct access qualified and accepts instructions from members of the public.
Shem regularly acts in public inquiries and hearings, including planning application and enforcement notice appeals. He has experience in a variety of areas from large residential, industrial and employment scheme appeals, to permitted development rights, lawful development certificates, amendment applications, changes of use, discharge of conditions, s.106 agreements, listed buildings, town and village green applications, compulsory purchase orders and development consent orders. He also assists with written representations, including CIL appeals. Recent cases include:
Shem already has notable experience in development consent order examinations, where he has been sole counsel for local planning authorities in numerous nationally significant infrastructure projects including Gate Burton Energy Park; Cottam Solar Project; West Burton Solar Project; Heckington Fen Solar Park; Tillbridge Solar Project; and Viking CCS Pipeline.
Shem is regularly instructed to advise and act in judicial review proceedings, and has successfully acted in a number of cases both on behalf of claimants and defendants in High Court proceedings. His background means that he is also well versed and frequently acts in cases dealing with cases which involve human rights issues.
Shem regularly acts for local planning authorities in both the Magistrates and Crown Court, prosecuting planning and environmental offences including breach of enforcement notices (including listed building enforcement notices), temporary stop notices, breach of condition notices, tree preservation orders and untidy land notice appeals. Recent prosecutions include obtaining fines and costs of over £126,000 in the Crown Court against a company and its directors for breaches of enforcement notices on a holiday park on behalf of the Lake District National Park Authority; and securing a guilty verdict after trial by jury and fines and costs of £27,000 for breach of an enforcement notice where the owner of land in the countryside had allowed unauthorised residential occupation. Shem has also successfully acted for a number of defendants being prosecuted.
Shem has considerable experience obtaining injunctions (including interim injunctions), in both the County Court and High Court, including against persons unknown and in respect of land occupied without planning permission by the Gypsy and Traveller communities.
Shem practises in all areas of public and administrative law. He regularly acts for and advises local authorities. He is also a member of the Attorney General’s Panel of Junior Junior Counsel, and is direct access qualified and therefore accepts instructions from the public.
Shem has a wide range of experience, including in landmark national inquiries, where he was involved in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. He also regularly advises and represents both local government and private clients in claims for judicial review in the High Court. He is particularly well-placed to do so with an academic background specialising in judicial review.
Shem has successfully secured injunctions in both the County and High Court, including for anti-social behaviour and against persons unknown in a variety of contexts. He is well placed, with a background advising NGOs, to assist with cases involving human rights considerations. In light of this, he has experience advising across the range of local authority powers and governance, including in relation to the public sector equality duty and equality laws, emergency powers, housing, homelessness and even data protection. He also has experience successfully appealing police decisions.
Shem regularly acts for and advises local authorities in relation to housing, taxi and premise licence cases. He is also direct access qualified and therefore accepts instructions from the public.
Shem has considerable experience in both Magistrates and subsequent Crown Court appeals in relation to taxi licence appeals. He is well placed to assist local authorities having also acted as a legal advisor to sub-committees.
Shem also has experience acting for private commercial clients seeking premises licences, and both advises and acts on behalf of applicants through the application and appeal process.
Shem has a particular specialism in planning and environmental law. He acts for both developers and local authorities. He is also direct access qualified and accepts instructions from members of the public.
Shem regularly acts in public inquiries and hearings, including planning application and enforcement notice appeals. He has experience in a variety of areas from large residential, industrial and employment scheme appeals, to permitted development rights, lawful development certificates, amendment applications, changes of use, discharge of conditions, s.106 agreements, listed buildings, town and village green applications, compulsory purchase orders and development consent orders. He also assists with written representations, including CIL appeals. Recent cases include:
Shem already has notable experience in development consent order examinations, where he has been sole counsel for local planning authorities in numerous nationally significant infrastructure projects including Gate Burton Energy Park; Cottam Solar Project; West Burton Solar Project; Heckington Fen Solar Park; Tillbridge Solar Project; and Viking CCS Pipeline.
Shem is regularly instructed to advise and act in judicial review proceedings, and has successfully acted in a number of cases both on behalf of claimants and defendants in High Court proceedings. His background means that he is also well versed and frequently acts in cases dealing with cases which involve human rights issues.
Shem regularly acts for local planning authorities in both the Magistrates and Crown Court, prosecuting planning and environmental offences including breach of enforcement notices (including listed building enforcement notices), temporary stop notices, breach of condition notices, tree preservation orders and untidy land notice appeals. Recent prosecutions include obtaining fines and costs of over £126,000 in the Crown Court against a company and its directors for breaches of enforcement notices on a holiday park on behalf of the Lake District National Park Authority; and securing a guilty verdict after trial by jury and fines and costs of £27,000 for breach of an enforcement notice where the owner of land in the countryside had allowed unauthorised residential occupation. Shem has also successfully acted for a number of defendants being prosecuted.
Shem has considerable experience obtaining injunctions (including interim injunctions), in both the County Court and High Court, including against persons unknown and in respect of land occupied without planning permission by the Gypsy and Traveller communities.
Legal 500 2025
‘Shemuel is an exceptional advocate. He is patient and a good reader of his audience.’
