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James Pantling-Skeet is an experienced senior associate solicitor in Boyes Turner’s highly regarded Community Care, Court of Protection and Special Educational Needs teams. He provides a holistic, empathetic yet focused service to parents, young people, families, Attorneys, Deputies, Case Managers and Charities. His combined Community Care and Special Educational Needs expertise means he is well-placed to provide comprehensive legal advice relating to the rights of children and adults living with a disability, injury, or illness.

His expertise includes:

  • Special educational needs provision – alternate provision, disputes relating to the Education Act 1996 and Children & Families Act 2014, including appeals to the Special Educational Needs & Disability Tribunal (SENDIST) regarding refusals to assess, refusals to issue, and EHCP contents disputes. In addition, transition from children to adult’s services.

  • Social care funding - Care Act 2014 eligibility, assessment, personal budget negotiations, care planning, ordinary residence, financial assessment and direct payment disputes. In addition, deprivation of asset disputes.

  • Healthcare funding – Hospital Discharge, NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility, assessments, and appeals. In addition, Personal Health Budget eligibility and challenges to insufficient funding to meet assessed needs. Section 117 Aftercare & CPA planning. Children and Young Persons Continuing Care eligibility, assessments, and appeals.
  • Challenges to arbitrary funding decisions, such as reductions in the level of support provided to disabled children and adults.
  • Disputes between patients, representatives and statutory bodies regarding care fee liability.
  • Disability adaptations, including all aspects of Disabled Facilities Grants.
  • Issues relating to changes to support models – i.e. moving from residential care to supporting living, including relevant CQC guidance and safeguarding concerns.
  • Health & Welfare matters – mental capacity assessments, best interest decision-making, health & welfare applications (such as disputes relating to where a person should live to receive care) to the Court of Protection, deprivation of liberty safeguards (DOLS) and the Re X process (Community DOLS).

James is a member of the Court of Protection Practitioners Association (COPPA) South Central Committee. He is a Trustee of the Dorset Children’s Foundation. His current project is assisting the Board of Trustees to explore establishing an Advocacy Service to support parents of children and young people with disabilities at statutory meetings. 

James regularly provides pro bono seminars and webinars to professionals supporting vulnerable children, young people and individuals, and to parents of children and young persons with disabilities.  

James is ranked as an ‘Associate to Watch’ in Chambers, in both Education (Special Educational Needs) and Healthcare (Community Care). His expertise is recognised in the Legal 500. He is also a member of the Professional Deputies Forum and the Education Law Association. 

Expertise

  • Court of Protection
  • Healthcare funding
  • Disability adaptations
  • Health & Welfare matters
  • Special educational needs provision
  • Social care funding
They have the unique ability to run complex cases involving community care issues as well as education and disability law. James Pantling-Skeet is absolutely stellar. One to watch for sure.

Legal 500

2024

Thank you Boyes Turner LLP for your excellent service and support during my recent CHC appeal. It is a daunting process to go through, but your support made it feel less stressful. Your communication and response to emails was great and every step of the process was explained clearly, so I was clear on my steps. Thank you in particular to James and Daisy.

Boyes Turner Client

I was recommended James as I was facing difficulties with my local authority adhering to statutory deadlines to secure my son's school placement and issuing his EHCP. We wanted to challenge the LA with their timeframes, which resulted in them trying to offer us a school that was not suitable for my son needs. After our initial consultation with James, we felt empowered and confident to push back and not give up on what we knew would be best for our son. After a lot of back and forth we eventually secured the right school for my son and I don’t feel we could have done this without James help and support. James as well as his secretary Daisy were always quick to respond to my emails and would keep in touch regularly via video calls, so we could gather evidence and agree best approaches as things progressed. I am very pleased we used their services and would not hesitate to use them again if I needed to in the future.

Boyes Turner Client

Excellent experience from start to finish. In what was an overwhelming situation trying to get my son into the right education setting, James took all of the stress off my shoulders and won the case against our local council. My son is now thriving in his new school and I know, without james' hard work, he would not have got there.

Louise

Boyes Turner Client

I instructed James Pantling-Skeet after a previously unsuccessful hearing at first tier Tribunal. He was able to obtain an Educational Psychology report that clearly identified need, and then ensured that we had a strong case to present to our new Local Authority. Despite the inevitable slow or absent responses to requests for comment, he was doggedly persistent; and was able to negotiate a successful outcome without recourse to first tier Tribunal. He was extremely approachable throughout this process, and kept me updated at all time. James was compassionate, thoughtful, and committed to our case in the most difficult of circumstances; and it is a testament to his tenacity that he was able to achieve a successful outcome for my child. I would recommend him without reservation.

Boyes Turner Client

“James writes incredibly well - the quality of his drafting is a dream."

Chambers 2023

"James Pantling-Skeet has been extremely thorough in his case preparation and in keeping the family involved”. “He’s very sharp and hard-working, and he understands the sector really well”. “He is very knowledgeable, thorough and patient."

Education (Individuals), Chambers Guide 2022

"James has a great analytical brain and provides clear and insightful advice. He also has great empathy and brings his humanity when dealing with health and social care matters”. “James always gives us a sound level of reassurance and provides an extremely high level of consistency throughout the whole process."

Healthcare (Community Care), Chambers Guide 2022

I just wanted to thank you not only for your professionalism but also your compassion and support for Anja and Tom's situation. You have had a profound impact for Anja, giving hope where there was none. I am sure you will say you are just doing your job but the unexpected humanity you have displayed that is not normally received from lawyers has been very gratefully received.

Marcus

Boyes Turner Client

We contacted Boyes Turner earlier this year after we ran into a dispute with our local authority. This was about a social care matter and learning disability. The case was handled with professionalism and tact. James was a pleasure to deal with. Clear communication, humour and detailed knowledge of the law in this area.

Andrew

Boyes Turner Client

The help and support we received from James for our son’s EHC plan has been absolutely invaluable. With his help, we were able to secure an outcome that suits our child. James was knowledgeable but at the same time very approachable and made a very stressful process much more manageable.

SA

Boyes Turner Client

We were immediately impressed with James and our initial judgment proved correct as we went on to negotiate with Essex a care package for our daughter. Throughout the process, James supported us and was always on hand to give us excellent advice, source and guide an ISW in writing a report for us, and assist with crafting skilfully worded emails to the Authority. More importantly for us, James was always kind and understanding, and brought a wonderful sense of humour to our meetings. We feel most fortunate to have found him and would not hesitate to recommend him.

Kitty Carrick

Boyes Turner Client

I’m thankful that we found James, without him my son would have been abandoned by his Local Authority. Moving on from college is a stressful process for all the family, & Local Authority knows this & uses this to try & push parents to the limit, by ignoring their responsibility hoping that you will give up . In came James, took pressure off me & onto them . Highly recommend. We won , my son now can start his transition to his next chapter. Thank you.

Rebecca Wallace

Boyes Turner Client

"He is very precise, with an eye for detail, and very approachable.” "James is strategic and has high-quality written work.”

Chambers and Partners - 2024

"They have the unique ability to run complex cases involving community care issues as well as education and disability law. James Pantling-Skeet is absolutely stellar. One to watch for sure.”

Legal 500, 2024

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