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
The leader of the Conservative party, Kemi Badenoch MP, announced at the party conference on 5 October 2025 that the next Conservative election...
The Institute for Government has analysed Prime Minister Keir Starmer's proposal to change how UK courts interpret the European Convention on Human...
The Cabinet Office has published a joint statement from the UK government and the European Commission following the Specialised Committee on the...
This week’s edition of Public Law weekly highlights includes a hand-picked summary of news analysis, legal updates and case law from the world of...
The Public Law case law quarterly provides details and analysis of notable judgments collated by the Lexis+® UK Public Law team each quarter....
Latest Public Law Practice Notes
Avoiding a judicial reviewAlthough it may not be possible to prevent a claimant from issuing a claim for judicial review, the more robust the...
Surveillance powers of local authoritiesThe Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA 2016) overhauled the legal framework governing the use of covert...
DisabilityThis Practice Note considers the definition of disability for the purposes of protection from discrimination and other prohibited conduct...
Standing Orders and Parliamentary questionsAn important aspect of Parliamentary privilege is that each House has the privilege of controlling its own...
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...
Latest Public Law Precedents
Particulars of claim—false imprisonment and personal injuryIN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE[[INSERT DIVISION]][[INSERT LOCATION] DISTRICT...
Environmental Information Regulations 2004—request for environmental information[Insert name of public authority][Insert public authority's address,...
Public Contracts Directive (2014)—training materials [Archived]ARCHIVED: These archived training materials provide information on Directive 2014/24/EU...
Market sounding questionnaireSTOP PRESS: As of 24 February 2025, the main provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 (PA 2023) are in force. Procurements...
Confidentiality agreement—one-way—pro-discloserThis Agreement is made on [date]Parties1[Insert name of party][ of [insert details] OR a company...
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
European Systemic Risk Board
ESRB is an independent advisory board to the European Union with the objective to “avoid periods of widespread financial distress”.
Moderator
A substance which slows neutrons down in a ?thermal? reactor to enable fission to take place. The term “thermal” refers to the energy of the neutrons after moderation (slowing). See Kinetic Energy for a little more explanation.
Soft FM
Facilities management services other than Hard FM such as laundry, cleaning and catering.
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