Administrative & Public Law: Traditional Claimant: London & UK-wide

THE FIRM This team of top-notch lawyers is constantly engaged in judicial reviews and public law challenges, especially in areas such as deaths in custody, prison law and immigration detention.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Founding partners Raju Bhatt and Fiona Murphy bring frequent challenges against public authorities following abuse of power or neglect of duty, and they can take credit for building one of the UK's leading practices. Simon Creighton's prison law practice is second to none and he frequently takes challenges in this area, and others, to the highest courts, achieving important results for vulnerable clients. Mark Scott focuses on child deaths in custody, recently securing the quashing of amended rules permitting the use of force in Secure Training Centres, in a test case judicial review before the Court of Appeal. Tony Murphy frequently intervenes on behalf of NGOs in test cases regarding police powers and deaths in custody, and his practice is growing in stature thanks to his fine skills in litigation and negotiation.

THE FIRM No case is too difficult or complex for this market-leading public law team, which can handle any kind of judicial review and achieves impressive results.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Stephen Grosz leads the star-studded team, and still finds time to advise on hugely significant cases. Recent highlights include a successful House of Lords intervention on behalf of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and a long-running appeal regarding proscribed organisations under the Terrorism Act 2000, in which he advises a cross-party group of 35 MPs and peers. John Halford is considered by many "the best public lawyer in the country," and interviewees identify his strategic and tenacious style as a key attribute. Halford has been particularly active recently in discrimination cases, achieving victory in the Court of Appeal for his client, in a matter involving the JFS faith school, and challenging Liverpool City Council over its tax-licensing policies. Civil liberties superstar and mental health law expert Saimo Chahal is rapidly increasing her profile in administrative and public law, having brought a successful judicial review of the DPP's decision to discontinue an actual body harm prosecution, as well as pursuing a wide range of judicial reviews on behalf of vulnerable claimants. Tamsin Allen has an active and varied public law practice, which includes challenges relating to freedom of information. Commentators highlight her keen intellect.

THE FIRM This firm is responsible for a constant stream of ground-breaking work in the medical sector; however, the team's public law practice also includes major cases in other areas, such as its representation of Binyam Mohamed.

KEY INDIVIDUALS The "incredibly imaginative" Richard Stein leads the team, managing large cases and providing strategic input, as well as pushing forward on issues such as Protective Cost Orders. Sean Humber has a well-established public law prisons practice, recently mounting challenges on behalf of various disabled prisoners. He is also adept at challenges relating to the environment, planning, data protection and freedom of information. Associate Jamie Beagent continues to work alongside Richard Stein on the judicial review of the government's decision to halt the investigation into BAE Systems, and he is also a rising star in such areas as immigration detention, healthcare and protective cost orders.

THE FIRM The team at Irwin Mitchell is spread around several offices in the UK, and it acts for a broad range of clients, representing individuals, businesses, public authorities and NGOs. The expertise on offer is similarly varied, with the team's recent workload including challenges to refusals to fund new drugs, a challenge to the NHS procurement process, a challenge relating to the decision-making process for the amount of rent allowed in a housing benefit claim and myriad cases for the Official Solicitor relating to human rights.

Sources Say: "Absolutely superb, with an international reach and offices all across the UK." 

KEY INDIVIDUALS Clients find Andrew Lockley to be "exemplary: supportive, knowledgeable, widely experienced, clear in his direction, and always up to date in terms of new judicial and legislative developments." As the firm's national head of public law, Lockley is hugely experienced in managing judicial reviews. Yogi Amin has cultivated a fine profile, thanks to his excellent practice regarding Official Solicitor's cases. John Dickinson is a safe pair of hands when it comes to prisoners' rights and public law cases relating to criminal justice, and clients highlight his incisive intellect.

THE FIRM The firm's outstanding reputation for community care-related work is supported by an impressive recent case list, including a test case regarding the closure of 2,500 post offices, and a number of successful appearances in the Court of Appeal.

Sources Say: "The country's predominant community care firm, going from strength to strength."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Sue Willman leads the department, and her expertise relating to asylum seekers is outstanding. Her practice also includes housing, social security and community care litigation. Managing partner Polly Glynn has a long track record in public and human rights law. Gareth Mitchell is working on the Post Office judicial review, and his public law practice includes human rights, discrimination, community care, social security and local government challenges. 

THE FIRM The firm is a real force in public and human rights law, constantly engaged in controversial and ground-breaking cases in the public interest. The team's workload of late has involved a number of high-profile cases regarding Iraqi allegations of mistreatment by British forces. However, the team is also heavily involved in domestic public law challenges, including disputes relating to protests and housing.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Philip Shiner is "a spectacular lawyer."

THE FIRM This firm focuses on civil liberties, criminal defence and immigration, and it continues to be a leading practice for terrorism-related cases. The team has been representing former detainees of Guantánamo Bay and is frequently engaged in public law challenges surrounding issues such as immigration, detention and prisoners' rights. The firm is reputed for the dedication and commitment it shows to the needs of its clients.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Gareth Peirce is the key player here and highly regarded for his expertise.

THE FIRM This firm is a mainstay in public law, challenging statutory bodies on behalf of claimants and achieving important results.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Louise Christian is well known for her public inquiries practice, particularly relating to disasters, but her remit extends to judicial reviews of health authorities and local councils, as well as coroners and police.

THE FIRM This firm represents claimants mounting public law challenges in its core practice areas, such as community care, social welfare, education, immigration, and police and prison law. The Official Solicitor regularly instructs the team, particularly in the areas of best interest and capacity, where its practitioners are market leaders.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Angela Jackman is a key contact.

THE FIRM This five-strong team has an impressive practice, combining strength in litigation with creative intellects and a personable approach. The team brings or threatens to bring judicial reviews against authorities such as the police, the Independent Police Complaints Commission and the Home Office, achieving fantastic results in the Court of Appeal last year. The team also advised on the proposed judicial review challenge to the BBC’s refusal to air the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal for aid in Gaza. 

KEY INDIVIDUALS Daniel Machover leads the firm's civil litigation department, and has a reputation for the total dedication he shows when representing the families of victims of death in custody. He has proven instrumental in the blocking of secret inquests.

THE FIRM The public law team at Howells achieved a major victory in December 2008 when the Grand Chamber of the ECHR unanimously found the UK's policy of retaining the DNA of innocent individuals to be a breach of Article 8. The team has also achieved significant victories in areas such as coroner's inquests, asylum and immigration.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Market sources comment that Peter Mahy has already achieved significant and ground-breaking victories at a relatively young age, and expect him to impress even further in the years to come.

THE FIRM According to sources, the impact and effectiveness of this team belies its relatively modest size. The four-strong team in Birmingham firm focuses its public law practice on several niche areas, including community care law, housing, access to healthcare, gender reassignment, asylum support and village green-related planning law.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Co-founders Karen Ashton and Alastair Wallace are extremely active practitioners, with years of experience and an obvious commitment to protecting their clients' rights.