Dirghayu Patel rejoined GT Stewart in February 2025, having previously worked with the firm from September 2012 to March 2021.

He qualified as a solicitor in January 2003, following training that provided him with hands-on experience in civil claims against the police and other detaining authorities. Since qualifying, his practice has primarily focused on Housing and Public Law but he is keen to expand his work in Civil Claims Against the Police.

Dirghayu is an experienced advocate with regular experience in both the County Court and High Court. He was granted Higher Court advocacy rights in 2007.

Passionate about social justice, Dirghayu is committed to upholding the rights of disadvantaged individuals. He is particularly interested in bridging the gap between legal theory and practical application. He has delivered papers and written articles on housing, public, and human rights law, and works as a Volunteer Supervisor at the Queen Mary University of London Law Clinic.

Throughout his career in both private practice and the not-for-profit sector, Dirghayu has developed specialist expertise in public law, human rights, and housing. He is dedicated to finding innovative, bold solutions to the complex legal challenges his clients face.

Education and Qualifications:

• LLB – Law degree from Newcastle University
• LLM – University of Nottingham

Notable Cases:

Q v London Borough of Lambeth – This case concerned an elderly woman of Guyanese nationality who had been living in the UK for several years without immigration status. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she faced street homelessness despite the government’s “Everyone In” initiative, which mandated that local authorities accommodate homeless individuals. The local council refused to assist her on the grounds of her immigration status. That decision was successfully challenged in the High Court, which found the council’s actions to be arbitrary and legally flawed.

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H v London Borough of Islington – This was a successful appeal in Central London County Court against a decision made by the London Borough of Islington that the client was not eligible for assistance with housing due to his immigration status.  The appeal argued that the council’s decision was unlawful because it breached the client’s right to non-discrimination under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.  Moreover, the council had failed to carry out a proper assessment about whether the decision may infringe the client’s right to dignity which is protected in the European Charter on Fundamental Freedoms.

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