Ian Wise

Ian Wise QC is ranked as a leading silk in Administrative and Public Law, Local Government Law, Civil Liberties and Human Rights, Local Government, Community Care and Education Law.

He regularly appears in the appellate courts including the Supreme Court where he has appeared in a range of important cases involving complex legal and public policy issues.  Among Ian’s recent cases in the Supreme Court are Mathieson v Secretary of State [2015] UKSC 47, a leading case on discrimination and disability, and R(JS) v Secretary of State [2015] UKSC 16, the ‘benefit cap’ case. He also appeared in the Supreme Court in the leading case on consultation, R(Moseley) v Haringey LBC [2014] UKSC and in Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v James [2014] AC 591 in which the Supreme Court set out the correct approach to the making of decisions about whether to give life-sustaining treatment in the case of persons lacking the capacity to make such decisions for themselves. Ian was counsel to the Healthwatch England ‘Special Inquiry into safe discharge from hospitals, care homes and secure settings’ which reported in 2015.

Ian has over a hundred reported cases to his name and has particular expertise in public finance, health and regulatory matters.  He has also taken over 30 cases to the European Court of Human Rights and has lectured widely on many aspects of public law.

He has frequently been instructed to act for leading national charities including the Children’s Society, the National Autistic Society and Age UK and has advised numerous public bodies. He is authorised to take instructions by direct access.

Open University (BA); College of Law, King’s College (DipLaw, Dip EC Law).