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Sarah is the Head of the Housing and Social Welfare Team.

Sarah Steinhardt specialises in housing and community care, education and discrimination law, and in related public law.

Sarah is particularly noted for her expertise in discrimination in housing and other discrimination outside of the employment field, and she enjoys working proactively and imaginatively to achieve positive outcomes for clients. She is astute to public funding issues and costs and always happy to discuss possible strategies at an early stage.

Sarah has been ranked in Chambers and Partners for Social Housing since 2016. The current edition (2025) identifies her as a ‘Star Individual’ and says: “Sarah Steinhardt is an effective, accomplished advocate with pronounced expertise in mental capacity and Equality Act issues in the context of social housing. Her impressive practice takes in homelessness cases and challenges to allocation schemes. She regularly handles disability discrimination matters as part of her diverse practice.”

Her strengths are reported as follows:

“Sarah is a very experienced and impressive practitioner who is able to handle complex matters and take inventive and novel points.”

“Her advocacy is exemplary, she is very personable with clients, and her advice, drafting and help generally in progressing a difficult case are second to none.”

“Sarah is a real authority on Equality Act 2010 issues and also a really clear communicator, breaking down complex technical issues with ease.”

Previous editions of the Guide commented that Sarah is “sharp, brave, has a real eye for detail and is an exceptionally persuasive and authoritative advocate. She’s also practical and pragmatic.” “Sarah Steinhardt is immensely hard-working, knowledgeable and also a brilliant communicator, breaking down complex technical issues with ease.” ”Sarah is a highly intellectual, dynamic and fierce advocate. She thinks outside the box, is committed to her clients and is keen to continue to advance the law to protect their rights.” “Sarah is a first-class advocate, very approachable and super-reliable in getting across the points you want made during a hearing. “ “Sarah is immensely hard-working and knowledgeable, providing pragmatic and sensible advice that resolves tricky issues quickly.” 

Other comments in the Guide noted that Sarah is ”one of the best Equality Act lawyers I have worked with.” “Her knowledge is second to none. Clients are blown away by her and are comfortable and reassured having Sarah on their case.” ”Sarah is very knowledgeable, works at an impressive pace against deadlines and gives clear advice on legal and practical issues.” “She is extremely practical and straightforward and tries to achieve the best for her clients”, “a very impressive advocate, who is sensitive, eloquent and capable;” “She is so clever and is a go to on the Equality Act”.

Sarah has also been ranked as a Leading Junior in Legal 500 since 2016. The current edition (2025) ranks her in Social Housing (band 2) and Education (band 3) and reports that “Sarah is a first-rate advocate, ardent yet acutely plausible, and utterly compelling. Outside the courtroom, her advice and drafting are scrupulous and intelligent. She is courageous in the face of difficult cases and possessed of a very patient, reassuring manner with clients.” (Social Housing); and, “Hardworking with great attention to detail and with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Equality Act. Easy to work with and persuasive on her feet with a clear crisp advocacy style” (Education).

Previous editions noted that she is "A redoubtable advocate. She is responsive and provides nuanced advice. She excels in client care," (2024); “Sarah is a first-rate advocate in Court. She is particularly adept at identifying challenges under the Equality Act 2010 and applying that in the context of housing cases,”  (2023); “Her vast knowledge and very sharp thinking gives her a facility with novel and complex arguments that is often staggering to see,” (2022); and that she is “knowledgeable about mental capacity and discrimination in housing”, “particularly knowledgeable on discrimination in the housing arena”, and “good at turning around documents in short order and to a high standard”.

Sarah is also a Deputy District Judge.

Housing and Social Welfare

Sarah practises in the full range of housing matters from possession proceedings and disrepair, to anti-social behaviour injunctions, homelessness and allocations, and unlawful evictions.

Sarah is particularly experienced at dealing with discrimination in housing and has had considerable success in claims concerning discrimination arising from disability, reasonable adjustments, Article 14, and the public law equality duty. She is passionate about representing vulnerable people, and committed to building a good rapport with clients and enabling positive and engaged decision making.

Sarah frequently delivers seminars and training on housing. She is the co-author of the Housing title of Atkins Court Forms and of the Ninth edition of Defending Possession Proceedings. She takes a keen interest in the developing law and welcomes the opportunity to explore novel approaches.

Some recent examples include:

Equality and Discrimination

Sarah’s practice encompasses discrimination law in housing, education and goods and services. It is the common thread running through her practice and as such she is able to employ innovative arguments by reading across practice areas. 

Sarah edits the Legal Action Discrimination Quantum Reports column.

Examples of recent cases include:

 

Land and Property

Sarah acts in cases including orders for sale, proprietary estoppel matters, boundary disputes, trespass and adverse possession, and nuisance. She has acted for both leaseholders and residents’ management companies in service charge disputes in the First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) and in the County Court.

Administrative and Public Law

Sarah is frequently instructed in judicial review matters in relation to housing, in particular homelessness and allocations, and under sections 17 and 20 of the Children Act 1989. She also acts in judicial reviews on education and community care matters.

She has a particular interest in the public sector equality duty and in the interrelationship between public sector duties, and private law discrimination claims. For example she acted for a police officer in a case concerning whether breach of public law obligations could raise an inference of discrimination in a private law claim, for a service user in a case concerning reasonable adjustments in the exercise of a public function.

Examples of recent cases include: 

Education Law

Sarah represents parents, students, schools and local authorities in public law education appeals to the First-Tier Tribunal, disability discrimination cases in the FTT and the County Court, and in related judicial review proceedings. She has appeared in cases involving maintained and independent schools, academies and colleges, and in matters involving school transport, EHC Plans, exclusions and admissions, and discrimination.

Sarah is ranked as a Leading Junior in Education law by the Legal 500 (2024) which states: ‘Hardworking with great attention to detail and with an encyclopedic knowledge of the Equality Act’

Examples of recent cases include:

Community Care and Health

Sarah frequently acts in cases involving sections 17 and 20 Children Act 1989 support and accommodation, provision to care leavers and looked after children, and in Care Act 2015 matters.

She has particular experience and expertise in discrimination law and public/private cross over cases including public law claims with associated damages claims.