Specialist Solicitors · Historic Abuse Redress

A traditional firm for those who have waited too long.

Archibald Chase Solicitors is an SRA-regulated firm of senior advocates representing survivors of Church-connected abuse under the new Church of England Historic Abuse Redress Scheme. Our work is private, deliberate, and led from the front.

Begin Confidentially → Meet Our Principal →

Church of England Redress Scheme

“Acknowledgement, support, and a meaningful response to those who suffered at the hands of the Church.”

Our Lead Practice

A statutory scheme for survivors of Church-connected abuse.

A new pathway, distinct from the courts.

The Church of England Historic Abuse Redress Scheme is a formal, statutory programme established under the Redress Abuse Measure, which has received Royal Assent. It is administered independently by Kennedys and is open to anyone who suffered abuse connected to the Church of England, regardless of when the abuse occurred or where the survivor now resides.

The scheme provides recognition, financial redress, and access to therapeutic support without requiring survivors to attend court or face their abuser. It is non-adversarial by design. Applicants are assessed by trained, independent assessors appointed by the scheme.

To access the scheme’s funded legal representation, survivors must instruct an SRA-regulated solicitor — a credential Archibald Chase holds, and one for which our principal’s near three decades at the solicitors’ profession and the Bar provides a depth of expertise that few firms can match.

The Two Statutory Pathways

Close Connection

Where the abuse was directly linked to a Church-authorised role — clergy, lay officers, volunteers, or staff in a position of trust within the Church of England.

ii.

Failure to Act

Where the Church or one of its authorities knew, or ought to have known, of a risk of harm and failed to prevent it — whether by act, omission, or institutional silence.

How We Help

A measured, deliberate process — led from the front.

At Archibald Chase, every application is supervised personally by our principal. There are no call-centre intake teams and no farmed-out files. The standard is set from the moment we accept your instructions to the moment your award is issued.

Confidential First Consultation

An entirely private discussion, on your terms, in person or by secure call. We explain the scheme, your eligibility under the Close Connection or Failure to Act pathways, and the route forward. There is no pressure and no fee for this conversation.

ii.

Eligibility & Application

Where we accept instructions, we prepare your application with the rigour the scheme demands — evidence gathering, expert and medical reports where required, and a meticulous statement of your experience drafted with sensitivity and precision.

iii.

Submission to Kennedys

Your application is submitted to the independent scheme administrators, Kennedys, with all supporting material. We engage with the scheme’s assessors on your behalf, advocating for the fullest possible recognition of the harm you suffered.

iv.

Independent Assessment

Trained, independent assessors appointed by the scheme review your case. The process is non-adversarial: you will not face your abuser, you will not be required to give evidence in court, and you remain in control throughout.

Award & Acknowledgement

The scheme can offer an award, an apology, recognition of harm, and access to therapeutic and pastoral support. We work with you to ensure the response you receive is meaningful and complete.

vi.

Aftercare & Onward Support

Our duty does not end when an award is issued. We assist with onward referrals to specialist therapeutic services and stand ready should any further legal questions arise. The relationship is for the long term.

Satpal Roth-Sharma, Principal of Archibald Chase Solicitors

Satpal Roth-Sharma Principal & Founder

Solicitor 2003 · Inner Temple 2019 · DIFC Registered

About the Firm

A practice of singular standing, led by one of the country’s most senior dual-qualified advocates.

Archibald Chase Solicitors is a traditional, SRA-regulated firm of solicitors founded and led by Satpal Roth-Sharma — a legal professional whose near three-decade career spans both branches of the profession. Admitted as a Solicitor in May 2003, appointed Higher Court Advocate in 2007, and called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in October 2019, Mrs Roth-Sharma stands among a small number of practitioners qualified, experienced and respected at both the solicitors’ profession and the Bar.

“The work of representing survivors demands not only legal skill but absolute discretion, patience, and humanity. We hold ourselves to the highest standard on each.”

Mrs Roth-Sharma began her career at the Crown Prosecution Service as a Senior Prosecutor and Higher Court Advocate, before joining Gordons LLP in Yorkshire as a Regulatory Solicitor — representing high-profile corporate clients including one of the country’s leading supermarket chains. In 2010 she founded her own award-winning practice, specialising in regulatory crime and serious matters, which became regionally recognised as a market leader.

In 2019 she transferred to the Bar, joining Cobden House Chambers in Manchester and subsequently establishing Reuben Law Barristers in London — a Bar Standards Board-regulated chambers in Mayfair’s Brook Street, of which she remains a senior tenant. She is registered with the Dubai International Financial Centre on the Register of Practitioners and accepts work under the Direct Access Scheme.

Her practice has long combined criminal advocacy, regulatory work, complex inquests, professional discipline, and high-value fraud. She has acted in matters touching upon deaths in custody, Article 2 inquests, the Manchester Arena attacks compensation scheme (pro bono) and the Hillsborough Law campaign. That breadth, and that human seriousness, is what Archibald Chase brings to its representation of survivors of Church-connected abuse.

Selected Accolades & Appointments

Woman’s Solicitor of the Year — Law Society, 2012
Rising Star — Yorkshire Legal Awards, 2013
Highly Commended — Association of Women Solicitors
Shortlisted, Regulatory Lawyer of the Year — YLA 2018
Chair, Small Firms’ Division — The Law Society
Director Roles — Leeds Law Society
Member — The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
Registered Practitioner — DIFC, Part II

Two Houses, One Stewardship

ARCHIBALD CHASE

SOLICITORS

SRA Regulated · Solicitors

REUBEN LAW

BARRISTERS

BSB Regulated · Mayfair

Our sister firm at the Bar — Reuben Law Barristers, London W1.

Archibald Chase Solicitors is the SRA-regulated solicitors’ firm of Satpal Roth-Sharma; Reuben Law Barristers is her chambers at the Bar, regulated by the Bar Standards Board, located at 84 Brook Street, Mayfair, London W1K 5EH. The two firms operate independently within their respective regulatory frameworks but are owned, managed, and run by the same principal — allowing clients of Archibald Chase the rare benefit of a seamlessly integrated solicitor-and-counsel service from a single, senior practitioner.

For matters that progress to advocacy or specialist counsel opinion, Archibald Chase can instruct Reuben Law directly, ensuring continuity of representation and judgement — without the friction or information loss of inter-firm referrals.

Visit Reuben Law Barristers →

Why Archibald Chase

Six reasons survivors choose us — and stay.

The credential the scheme requires

The Church of England Redress Scheme requires applicants to instruct an SRA-regulated solicitor to access the funded legal representation. Archibald Chase holds that status. Many firms attempting to operate in this space simply do not.

Solicitor and barrister led

It is genuinely uncommon for a single principal to combine senior solicitor practice with the Bar. That dual qualification means your case is read with the eye of advocacy from the first day, not the last.

iii

Your award is yours

The £5,000 in legal fees is paid by the Church of England, not deducted from any redress award you receive. We do not require percentage-based agreements over your personal compensation. The scheme’s mechanics protect this; we honour it.

Non-adversarial — by design

The scheme is structured so that survivors do not have to attend court or face their abuser. We guide you through every stage in confidence, at your pace, with the discretion these matters absolutely demand.

One senior point of contact

You will not be passed between case handlers. Our principal supervises every file personally, and you will know precisely who is conducting your matter from the first conversation onward.

Anywhere in the world

The scheme accepts applications from survivors regardless of when the abuse occurred or where they currently reside. We act for clients in the UK and internationally; secure remote consultation is available throughout.

Frequently Asked

Questions, answered candidly.

The most common questions survivors and their families ask before instructing us. If your question is not addressed, please contact us in confidence and we will reply personally.

You may be eligible under one of two pathways. The Close Connection pathway covers abuse where the perpetrator was acting in a Church-authorised role — clergy, a lay officer, volunteer, or staff member in a position of trust within the Church of England. The Failure to Act pathway covers situations where a Church authority knew, or ought to have known, of a risk and failed to prevent it.

There is no time limit on when the abuse occurred, and applications may be made from anywhere in the world. We will assess your eligibility carefully and confidentially during your first consultation, with no obligation to proceed.

No. The Redress Scheme is expressly non-adversarial. It is designed to acknowledge harm and provide compensation without requiring survivors to attend court or give evidence in front of the person who abused them. Applications are assessed independently and on the papers.

Throughout the process, we manage all communication with the scheme administrators on your behalf. Your matter is conducted in private, at your pace, and you remain in control at every stage.

The award an applicant receives is determined by the scheme’s independent assessors based on the nature, severity, and impact of the abuse, alongside any aggravating circumstances. The full tariff is published by the scheme.

The £5,000 in legal fees is a separate, additional payment made by the Church of England to fund your legal representation. It is not deducted from your personal redress award. You receive your award in full.

There is no time limit. The scheme is open to applicants regardless of when the abuse occurred — decades-old matters are explicitly within scope. Many survivors do not feel able to come forward for many years; the scheme is designed with that in mind.

If you are uncertain, contact us in confidence. There is no obligation, no fee for the initial conversation, and your privacy is absolute.

Applications are accepted from anywhere in the world. We routinely conduct consultations by secure video conference and operate seamlessly with international clients. The scheme’s geographic reach is one of its defining features.

Your matter is handled in absolute confidence. We use secure, encrypted systems for all communications and document storage. Where appropriate, we assist with anonymity, privacy, and management of any media interest. Our SRA regulation and professional duties of confidentiality are stringent.

Three reasons. First: we are SRA-regulated — the credential the scheme expressly requires. Second: our principal is dual-qualified as solicitor and barrister, with a near 30-year career spanning both, including high-profile inquests, regulatory crime, and complex advocacy. Third: we keep our caseload deliberately considered. You will deal with a senior practitioner from the first call onward.

Make Contact

A private conversation, at your pace.

Whether you are a survivor considering a redress application, a family member seeking guidance on behalf of a loved one, or a referrer wishing to introduce a client, we welcome your enquiry. All communication is held in absolute confidence.

Telephone

+44 (0) 207 769 6701

enquiries@archibaldchase.com

Office

Archibald Chase Solicitors Ltd
Independence House
Holly Bank Road
Huddersfield HD3 3NX

Sister Firm at the Bar

Reuben Law Barristers
84 Brook Street, Mayfair
London W1K 5EH

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