Public Law and Judicial Review | Fieldfisher
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Public Law and Judicial Review

We are a tier 1-ranked public law and judicial review team in the UK with a network of expertise across our European offices. We provide pragmatic, risk-based advice in both contentious and non-contentious contexts across a range of sectors. Clients come to us for our specialist experience acting for claimants, defendants, interested parties and interveners in judicial review cases. The team is led by recognised senior practitioners in this field.

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Why choose our Public Law and Judicial Review lawyers?

Judicial review is a unique type of litigation that focuses on lawful, fair, rational and proportionate decision-making. It can involve complex, often high-profile issues, with broad commercial consequences for businesses.

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We act for claimants, defendants and interveners, helping clients to navigate these issues. Those who exercise public functions are required to keep in mind the potential to be challenged and the need to minimise legal risk through proper consultation and fair and reasoned decision making.  For those entities impacted by such decisions, we spot opportunities to remind decision makers of their duties and to hold them to account via legal avenues. Sometimes pre-action correspondence can help to resolve issues or dilute negative impacts, without the need for litigation.

We can support you at any stage of proceedings whether you need proactive advice prior to the making of key decisions, at a pre-action protocol stage, or later in the process when challenges must be brought or applications for permission resisted. We can also help behind the scenes to pre-empt or formulate challenges by advising you on governance and consultation processes.

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Our recent notable cases include acting for:

  • A number of Train Operating Companies defending a judicial review in relation to ticket office closure consultations. In combination with similar consultations run by other companies, the consultation was the most responded to in UK history.
  • The UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry on the high-profile judicial review brought by the Cabinet Office in respect of access to WhatsApp material sought by the Inquiry.
  • Jersey Hemp in an ongoing judicial review against the Secretary of State for the Home Office in what will be a landmark CBD ruling.
  • A group of freehold property-owning companies in relation to the UK government's leasehold reform agenda, successfully challenging a consultation run by the Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities.
  • WildFish Conservation in a high-profile environmental judicial review against the Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan, published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

We work together across Fieldfisher's key industry sectors and our international offices to deliver a comprehensive service for clients. Our Public and Regulatory lawyers are deeply immersed in their respective sectors, including the Healthcare and Technology sectors.


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