Angela Sandhal

I am a Director of Public Law and Litigation at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, specialising in judicial review, administrative law, education law, equality law, mental capacity and civil litigation. I am based in the firm's Leeds office and take cases from across the country, regularly meeting clients in the City of London and other offices.

I have extensive experience in conducting cases in the Administrative Court, Tribunals and County Court and have been involved in a number of high profile public interests cases for individuals, institutions and groups. I largely represent claimants and interested parties in claims and appeals arising from public body decision making including: Ofsted inspection outcomes, appeals to the care standards tribunal, disclosure and barring appeals in the Upper Tribunal and claims that raise equality act issues.

My education law practice includes acting for schools, academy trusts and nurseries, specialising mainly in disputes with Ofsted, funding providers and disputes with other parties including students and parents. I have a particular interest in appeals to the Care Standards Tribunal and regularly act for schools, nurseries and registered care homes. The other main part of my education practice involves acting for university students in complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator and claims for breach of contract, negligence and discrimination arising from university education and services. I also act for students facing fitness to practice proceedings and termination of their studies. I am a regular speaker at education law events and provide training to schools and other groups on education law.

• Legal Practice Course (2004)
• LLB (Hons) (2002)

• Director at Duncan Lewis Solicitors: April 2022 - present
• Solicitor at Duncan Lewis Solicitors: 2019 - present
• Atherton Godfrey LLP: 2015 - 2019
• Irwin Mitchell LLP: 2010 - 2015
• Admitted as a solicitor in November 2010

• "Angela is a safe pair of hands for Court of Protection matters involving particularly vulnerable individuals" - Legal 500 UK 2024


• "Angela Sandhal was absolutely fantastic. She handled the case really well. She is empathetic, understanding and very efficient and all issues were handled brilliantly – she was very patient" - Client, 2023


• "She is the kind of solicitor that judges instantly defer to. She is unflappable yet manages to get opposing solicitors (particularly in public bodies) to do what she needs them to" - Legal 500 2023

• Recommended Lawyer. - Legal 500 UK, (2024 - 2023 & 2015 - 2016)

High Court

• Northamptonshire County Council and Abor v The Lord Chancellor [2018] EWHC 1628 (Fam) – Examination of the statutory power to exercise the legal aid statutory charge in claims for damages under the Human Rights Act 1998 arising from section 20 of the Children Act 1989.


• R (on the application of Enterprise Insurance Company PLC) v The Financial Ombudsman Service and GH (Interested Party) [2017] – Successfully opposed an application for judicial review of a decision of the FOS on the duty to provide financial services to an insured individual by a defaulting indemnity insurer following an unsuccessful personal and professional negligence claim. Details of the case have been published in the Journal of Personal Injury Law.


• R (on the application of Sharon Moore) V (1) Skipton Fund Ltd (2) Secretary Of State For Health [2010] EWHC 3070 (Admin) – Acted for the claimant in a judicial review of the eligibility criteria of the Government’s ex-gratia compensation scheme for individuals infected with the hepatitis C virus through the use of contaminated NHS blood or blood products in the 1970s and 80s.

Civil Court

• T v A School [2014] – Acted for a former school pupil in a county court claim for discrimination against the school which settled for £15,000 compensation.


• VR v Northumberland County Council [2013] – Acted for the parent in an appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Health, Educational and Social Care Chamber) resulting in a high value place at an independent conductive education school worth in the region of £300,000.

• Member of the Court of Protection Practitioners Association (COPPA)
• Trustee of Multi-School Academy Trust, Creative Children's Academy Trust, 2019 to Present
• Chair of Governors of PACES School (NMSS), 2016 – 2019
• Director and Trustee of PACES Charity for Conduction Education, 2014 – 2019

• Hairdressing training provider enlists Duncan Lewis to fight ‘inadequate’ Ofsted ruling (Herts Mercury) (24 November 2022)
• Hairdressing apprenticeship provider challenges damning Ofsted ruling (FE Week) (8 November 2022)
• Congratulations to Newly Promoted Litigation and Education Law Director Angela Sandhal (8 April 2022)
• Legal challenge to “unfair” and “discriminatory” A-level results is imminent (17 August 2020)
• Appealing decision of the Disclosure and Barring Service (2 April 2020)
• Challenging an Ofsted inspection outcome (21 November 2019)
• University complaints rise as students demand better value for money (14 November 2019)