About Public Law
As a government lawyer your clients are experiencing various impacts on policy making from numerous and competing interests such as austerity, efficiency, collective/individual rights, European and devolved/delegated jurisdictions. Your job advising on legislation and risk of challenge through judicial review is increasingly time consuming and complex.
Brexit
With reform of retained EU law high on the agenda, post-Brexit legal changes remains a key issue. Get key information and updates for all practitioners, with practice area specific Brexit content across the modules.
Judicial Review
We outline the key principles and procedural requirements with a clear focus on the public sector perspective. The content focusses primarily on judicial review in the Administrative Court in England and Wales.
Public Procurement
Failure to stick to procedures can have significant legal, financial and practical consequences for a contracting authority. We guide you through various processes, focussing on the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
Expertise on all matters
An essential resource providing guidance & materials on core legal subjects relevant to lawyers in all areas of legal practice, as well as specialist content designed to assist government lawyers in a range of key areas
Topics We Cover
Our Public Law Experts
Beth Pipe
Charles Brasted
Andrea Biondi
Peter Ware
Brendan Ryan
Latest Public Law News
Public Law analysis: This case concerned an application for judicial review brought by three claimants (D1914, AAA and AVY) challenging the Secretary...
The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has outlined what SME suppliers need to know about the government’s modern slavery policy, and compliance with the...
This round-up includes details of publications made by Specialised Committees established by the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) for the...
The House of Lords Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee has published its first report concluding that current Windsor Framework arrangements are...
The Ethics and Integrity Commission (EIC) officially commenced operations on 13 October 2025, replacing the Committee on Standards in Public Life...
Latest Public Law Practice Notes
Scotland news analysisThe tables below comprise an archive of news analysis on Scotland and Scots law developments published within various practice...
Methods of statutory interpretationIntroduction to statutory interpretationThe aim of statutory interpretation is to arrive at the legal meaning of...
How to deal with a threatened judicial reviewThis how-to guide provides a high-level summary of the procedural steps that a body exercising a public...
Structure and operation of the Northern Ireland AssemblyThis Practice Note provides an introduction to the Northern Ireland Assembly. It considers how...
The law of precedentPrecedent at common lawAdherence to precedent is a vital aspect of common law adjudication. Where a precedent is binding, it...
Latest Public Law Precedents
Confirmation of assignment of intellectual property rights[insert address of sender]Our ref: [insert reference]Your ref: [insert reference][insert...
Personal data sharing clause—controller to controller—pro-receiving partyDefined terms: This Precedent clause uses the additional defined terms...
Privacy policy—general commercial organisation—customer-facingFORTHCOMING CHANGE: On 19 June 2025, the Data (Use and Access) Bill received Royal...
Personal data sharing schedule—controller to controller—pro-disclosing partyDefined terms: This precedent schedule uses the additional defined terms...
Confidentiality agreement—mutualThis Agreement is made on [date]Parties1[insert name of party] [of [insert details ] OR a company incorporated in...
Latest Public Law Q&As
Featured Public Law content
Sources of constitutional law
Sources of constitutional lawIn briefThe British constitution is unwritten in the sense that it does not derive from a single constitutional text. It...
Methods of statutory interpretation
Methods of statutory interpretation used to resolve disputes about the meaning of legislationIntroduction to statutory interpretationThe aim of...
Convention rights—structure of qualified rights
Convention rights—structure of qualified rightsThe rights preserved under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as set out in the Human...
Judicial review—time limits and the pre-action protocol
Judicial review—time limits and the pre-action protocolWhen considering whether and how to bring a claim for judicial review, the first step is to...
Grounds of judicial review—unreasonableness
Grounds of judicial review—unreasonablenessThis Practice Note outlines the ground of judicial review usually known as unreasonableness or...
What is fettering of discretion in judicial review? When is it an actionable ground of challenge and what must be established for a challenge to succeed?
Separation of powers—legislative, executive and judiciary
Separation of powers—legislative, executive and judiciarySource of the doctrine of the separation of powersThe origins of the doctrine of the...
Grounds of judicial review—illegality
Grounds of judicial review—illegalityOverview of the illegality groundIllegality is the first of the grounds on judicial review set out by Lord...
What is a public authority?
What is a public authority?There is no single, universal answer to the question whether a particular organisation is treated, in law, as a public...
Grounds of judicial review—procedural impropriety
Grounds of judicial review—procedural improprietyProcedural impropriety as a ground of judicial review‘Procedural impropriety’ is the last of the...
Judicial review—interested parties and interveners
Judicial review—interested parties and intervenersInterested partiesIn the context of judicial review, an interested party is 'any person (other than...
Parliamentary supremacy—implied repeal
Parliamentary supremacy—implied repealEssential to Parliament’s legislative supremacy is the principle that Parliament is not bound by its...
What is the legal basis and effect of revoking UK legislation?
Grounds of judicial review—breach of legitimate expectation
Grounds of judicial review—breach of legitimate expectationThe ground of challenge based on legitimate expectations is designed to hold a public...
Royal Charters
Royal ChartersWhat is a Royal Charter?The term 'Royal Charter' has transformed over time. Originally, a Royal Charter was a procedure by which the...
Costs for judicial review—general principles
Costs for judicial review—general principlesGeneral rule on costs in judicial reviewThe general rule in relation to costs in judicial review, as in...
Judicial review—what it is and when it can be used
Judicial review—what it is and when it can be usedWhat is judicial review?Judicial review is a process by which the courts exercise a supervisory...
Judicial deference and the margin of appreciation
Judicial deference and the margin of appreciationJudicial deference is also known as the principle that 'respect is a central concept in judicial...
Associated legal terms
Cashflow statement
A statement in a company's annual report which shows how much cash has been earned, and how it has been spent during the financial year.
Fracking
Shale gas extraction or hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is the process where water and chemicals are pumped into shale rock at high pressure to release the natural gas that is trapped in the shale rock.
HM Land Registry
The repository for the Register of Title.
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