Profile

Andrew is a partner in Kennedys’ London office, working in our specialist liability team which is part of our public sector, abuse and specialist liability team based in London and Newcastle.

He qualified in 1994 and joined Kennedys in 2023.

Andrew undertakes technical and complex liability work in claims against public sector bodies, schools and higher educational establishments, service providers, and employers.

His practice area covers abuse claims (including non-recent abuse), claims against social services departments, HRA claims, DoLs claims and false imprisonment claims, stress at work and workplace bullying claims, and claims against universities, HEA's and schools. He has represented local authorities, schools and universities at Inquests.

He has a particular specialism in civil claims alleging breach of the Equality Act 2010.

Andrew frequently delivers training to clients and has written articles for a number of legal and local authority publications.

Market recognition

  • Andrew is mentioned in the Legal 500 2020 for specialism in abuse work.
  • Clients have commented;

“On behalf of all of us, I wanted to thank you for your guidance and support. You have been a very reassuring presence throughout this often difficult process and have responded so quickly to our questions and concerns. It has been a pleasure working with you.”

“I would say that Andrew Sheppard is a bit of a stand-out. He is really good at picking up very complex matters.

Work highlights

  • Sandford v LB Waltham Forest. Negligence and statutory duty. Andrew successfully defended a local authority by arguing that its social services team had no statutory obligation to provide equipment (cot-sides) to a service user within a set time frame. Its obligations arose under statute and were not voluntary, and there had been no other assumption of responsibility.
  • Abrahart v University of Bristol. Equality Act and negligence. Andrew acts in the ongoing appeal of a claim relating to the tragic suicide of a student.
  • Rosario Sanchez v University of Bristol. Equality Act and negligence. Andrew successfully defended a claim that concerned several issues including whether a university owed a duty of care to protect a claimant from the actions of trans rights activists who had disagreed with a decision to chair a meeting of gender critical feminists.
  • Constantinou v Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames. Andrew successfully defended at trial a stress at work and bullying claim from a school caretaker.
  • Andrew achieved a favourable settlement for a sheltered housing association providing supported adult care, whose employee had allegedly engaged in sexual relations with a resident leading to that resident becoming HIV+.
  • Brennan v Bolt Burden & Others (Court of Appeal 2005). Procedure and contract. Andrew successfully acted for a local authority that sought to enforce a compromise agreement by arguing that an alleged mistake of law did not justify setting aside an agreement to discontinue for consideration.