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
Latest Public Law News
A round-up of key developments on State aid, first reported by the Lexis+ Competition team. This update covers the period 23–29 April 2025....
Law360: The best approach for employers after the Supreme Court's seismic ruling on the legal definition of a woman is to make all enclosed...
Notable updates to the 10th Edition (published April 2024) include:...
Employment analysis: On 3 April 2025, the Court of Appeal gave judgment in the case of Sullivan v Isle of Wight Council. Annie Davis, pupil at Old...
Planning analysis: In Bradbury v Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal against a decision to grant planning...
Latest Public Law Practice Notes
Sexual abuse claimsThis Practice Note identifies the potential causes of action in cases of sexual abuse. It considers the basis for the liability of...
Debarment for bribery convictionsSTOP PRESS: As of 24 February 2025, the main provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 (PA 2023) are in force....
Failure to prevent bribery—the offenceThis Practice Note explains the corporate criminal offence of failing to prevent bribery under section 7 of the...
Trans, gender reassignment and gender identity issues in the workplaceFORTHCOMING CHANGES: An Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) consultation...
General Court State aid appeals—closed cases trackerThe below tracks completed General Court appeal cases involving State aid (Articles 107 to 109...
Latest Public Law Precedents
Confidentiality and official secrets—training materials [Archived]ARCHIVED: These archived training materials provide information on the protection of...
Invitation to participate in dialogue—competitive dialogue procedureSTOP PRESS: As of 24 February 2025, the main provisions of the Procurement Act...
Invitation to tender―competitive procedure with negotiationSTOP PRESS: As of 24 February 2025, the main provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 (PA...
Public inquiry warning letterInquiry: The [insert name of inquiry] inquiryChair: [Insert name of inquiry chair][Insert inquiry contact address...
Judicial review—defendant response to a letter before claimDear [insert name]Response to your letter before claim in proposed judicial review...
Latest Public Law Q&As
Featured Public Law content
Methods of statutory interpretation used to resolve disputes about the meaning of legislation
Methods of statutory interpretation used to resolve disputes about the meaning of legislationIntroduction to statutory interpretationThe aim of...
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...
Direct effect of EU law
Direct effect of EU lawWhat is direct effect of EU law?The doctrine of direct effect is a fundamental principle of EU law developed by the Court 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...
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...
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...
Structure and functions of EU institutions and bodies
Structure and functions of EU institutions and bodiesThe EU’s unique institutional frameworkThe European Union is a supranational polity, and is...
Harmonisation
HarmonisationDefinitionHarmonisation, also known as standardisation or approximation, refers to the determination of EU-wide legally binding standards...
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?
The status of EU law in the UK after Brexit [Archived]
The status of EU law in the UK after Brexit [Archived]ARCHIVED: This Practice Note has been archived and is not maintained.This Practice Note provides...
Indirect effect of EU law
Indirect effect of EU lawWhat is indirect effect of EU law?The doctrine of indirect effect, or consistent interpretation, is a duty that national...
What is Wednesbury unreasonableness?
Parliamentary supremacy—implied repeal
Parliamentary supremacy—implied repealEssential to Parliament’s legislative supremacy is the principle that Parliament is not bound by its...
The executive and the civil service
The executive and the civil serviceWhat is a civil servant?A civil servant is any permanent, non-political employee of central government—servants of...
What is the EU infringement procedure under Article 258 TFEU and how can proceedings be monitored?
EU internal competence
EU internal competenceThe limits of EU competencesThe limits of EU competences are governed by the principle of conferral (also known as principle of...
Free movement of EU workers and citizens
Free movement of EU workers and citizensEU workers and EU citizens enjoy the right of freedom of movement. This right is granted to EU workers in...
The four freedoms—goods, services, establishment and capital
The four freedoms—goods, services, establishment and capitalFree movement of goodsRestriction on importsScope of the prohibitionArticle 34 of the...
Associated legal terms
Falsa demonstratio non nocet
Where a description of something is followed by an inappropriate example, the inappropriateness of the example does not invalidate the description.
Figh
Islamic jurisprudence.
Qualifying year for state pension
A tax year in which someone has qualifying earnings, or credits of earnings, of at least 52 times the Lower Earnings Limit.
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