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SolicitorOS Directory

Public Law solicitors in England & Wales

Find a public law solicitor in England & Wales: judicial review of public bodies, human rights, community care, education, healthcare and immigration decisions.

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Plain-language guide

What a public law solicitor does.

A public law solicitor challenges decisions of government departments, local authorities, NHS bodies, regulators and other public authorities, mainly by judicial review in the Administrative Court under section 31 of the Senior Courts Act 1981 and CPR Part 54. The grounds are illegality, irrationality, procedural unfairness and breach of the Human Rights Act 1998. The work often concerns social care, housing, education, healthcare, immigration and prisons, and the pre-action protocol letter frequently resolves the case before a claim is issued.

When you need one

  • A council or public body has made a decision about your care, housing, benefits or child's education that seems unlawful.
  • A licence, permit or registration was refused or revoked without a fair process.
  • You believe a public authority has breached your Convention rights.
  • A public body is failing to act on a duty it owes you.

How fees usually work

Judicial review is charged by the hour and is expensive because it moves quickly. Legal aid is available for many community care, housing, education and immigration judicial reviews if you qualify financially and the case has merit. Ask about the costs risk if permission is refused and whether a costs capping order or protective costs order could apply.

Questions to ask before you instruct

  • Is judicial review the right remedy, or is there a statutory appeal or an ombudsman I must use first?
  • Am I within the three-month time limit, and was the claim brought promptly?
  • What are the grounds of challenge, and what remedy would the court give?
  • Do I qualify for legal aid, and what is my costs exposure if the claim fails?
See the listed practitioners

General information about England & Wales law and practice, not advice on your matter. The practitioners listed on this page give that advice.

Public law solicitor questions

How long do I have to bring a judicial review?

The claim must be filed promptly and in any event within three months of the decision, under CPR 54.5; planning and procurement cases have shorter limits. The court can extend time but rarely does. Sending a pre-action protocol letter does not stop the clock.

What can the court do?

Quash the decision and send it back to be made again lawfully, prohibit the authority from acting, order it to perform a duty, declare the law, and in some cases award damages, particularly under the Human Rights Act. The court does not substitute its own decision on the merits.

Do I need permission?

Yes. Judicial review is a two-stage process: the court first decides on the papers whether the claim is arguable and grants permission, and only then does it proceed to a full hearing. Permission is refused in a substantial proportion of claims, so the grounds and the evidence must be right at the outset.

For the practitioners listed here

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