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Our services: Public Law & Human Rights

We assist individual people and groups who believe that their rights have been infringed by government bodies and other public authorities acting unfairly or unlawfully. We are all public law specialists, and have experience of using judicial review and other public law remedies to ensure that people are treated fairly by public bodies.

We take action when public bodies act unfairly and unlawfully, and there are many ways in which they do so. Some common examples are:

• When they do not take relevant considerations into account in their decision making
• When they undertake consultations without an open mind as to what the outcome might be
• When they show bias during the decision making process

It may also be possible to challenge a decision if irrelevant factors are taken into account, or even on the grounds that the decision is irrational.

If a decision does appear to be unfair we will seek to find a way to ensure that the decision is not allowed to stand.

To ensure the very best chance of a fair and positive outcome, the earlier you contact us the better so that we can advise you on the legal issues and procedures. In our experience, it is far better for those dealing with local authorities and other public bodies to attempt to get the decision that they want first time round, rather than have to challenge a decision after the event, which is usually more expensive, and harder to succeed.

Some examples of cases successfully handled by our team include:

• Advising parents on a City Council’s use of a lottery scheme for school admissions
• Re-opening a consultation on a large urban renewal programme
• Winning re-instatement for an unjustly disqualified local councillor
• Helping a village stop a hazardous waste site

How we can help

If you feel that you or your community is being treated unfairly by a local authority or other public body, we welcome your enquiry. There are often very strict and short time limits for action in these types of cases, and particularly where a decision has been made which you may wish to challenge, so please get in touch with us as soon as possible.

If you receive benefits or have a low income, you may qualify for legal aid and we can advise you in relation to this. If you are not eligible, we offer a very competitive rate.

To find out more about our Public Law and Human Rights Services, please contact us.