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Sometimes public bodies, by their actions and decisions, act wrongly. On those occasions, judicial review and statutory challenge procedures may provide the route to undoing, or mitigating, that wrong.

Our team has an outstanding reputation in this field with a proven track record on how best to frame, or respond to, any required challenge. This includes advising and resolving disputes for government bodies, and regulated or licensed authorities carrying out public functions.

As part of a full-service firm, you’ll benefit from the advice of our planning team, dealing regularly with applications relating to planning decisions, land and resource use, and environmental issues.

Our experience extends to representing clients at all levels of the court system to the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights. Trust us to uphold your rights, with your very best interests at the heart of our strategy.

Our experience
  • Acting for and advising various local authorities, NHS trusts and other public bodies in relation to all aspects of their decision making processes. For instance:
    • Acting for a mental health Trust in a challenge to a decision to close a mental health hospital in Yorkshire.
    • Representing Nottingham City Council in the high-profile “Building Schools for the Future” litigation.
    • Acting for Inclusion Housing in a High Court challenge against the Regulator of Social Housing.
    • Advising in relation to challenges to decisions relating to continuing healthcare for children.
    • Advising a judicially reviewable body in relation to challenges to immigration visa endorsement decisions.
  • Representing a national house builder in a judicial review relating to the law of village greens to the Supreme Court.
  • Acting for a mining company as an interested party in a high profile judicial review brought against the grant of planning permission for a new deep coking coal mine in West Cumbria.
  • Representing private individuals or organisations in relation to decisions taken by public bodies, including in the health, education and immigration sectors.

Contact a specialist

Peter Hornsey

Partner | Head of Commercial Litigation

+44 (0) 330 137 3314

+44 (0)792 149 8908

Email Peter Hornsey

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What people say

  • They offer unparalleled legal knowledge and advice to clients at critical moments during disputes providing practical effective solutions including unparalleled litigation expertise.

    Legal 500, Client quote
  • The Manchester team are dynamic. They have excellent client management whilst, at the same time, maintaining great relationships with counsel and experts to ensure that the litigation team are joined up throughout. The team are affable and down-to-earth with a broad and growing practice.

    Legal 500, Client quote
  • The team have top-to-bottom talent. Their client care, especially over the past 12 months, has been great. I have been really impressed with the way in which cases have been kept on track and there has been continuous client engagement. The expertise and ability to handle complex, multi-party litigation is really impressive. Additionally, there is real focus on achieving the clients’ objectives and an eye on strategy.

    Legal 500, Client quote
  • Their expertise and ability to handle complex, multi-party litigation is really impressive.

    Legal 500
  • Ward Hadaway are absolutely first rate - they are an excellent firm for litigation, regionally, nationally and, increasingly, internationally.

    Chambers & Partners
  • This team earns strong market endorsement for its deft handling of a wide range of commercial litigation matters including director and shareholder disputes, professional negligence and IT claims.

    Chambers & Partners
  • This is ‘a go-to team for clients with big commercial claims’… the team's lawyers ‘combine legal aptitude with common sense’.

    Client quote, Chambers & Partners
  • An exceptional and wide-ranging presence in high-value commercial litigation in the North East and Northern England. Enviable bench strength with the capacity to handle matters including shareholder disputes, professional negligence, insurance disputes and fraud.

    Chambers & Partners
  • Highly sought-after to handle complex litigation, including contractual claims, shareholder disputes and debt recovery. Regularly called upon to act for public sector bodies in addition to its local and national corporate client base.

    Chambers & Partners

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