Jonathan Blunden

Partner

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“Jonathan Blunden stands out as a star individual. He dealt with many of the major Covid-19 judicial reviews for government. He is exceptional – highly intellectual whilst also very good at client care.”

“Jonathan is excellent to work with – he is approachable, patient and provides expert advice.”

“Jonathan is a complete joy to work with because he is bright, incredibly diligent, highly responsive and goes the extra mile as a solicitor.

“He has an in-depth knowledge of the law, as well as the inner workings of government.”

“George McLellan and Jonathan Blunden are now two key partners. As a team, their experience across the range of commercial judicial review is second to none. Sharpe Pritchard are lining up for very big things indeed in the public law space. They are superb strategists and are now the natural choice for major industry players looking to challenge government.”

Practice areas:

Sector experience:

Jonathan advises public authorities on all aspects of public law. He works extensively with central government, including the Government Legal Department (GLD), providing strategic advice on high-profile policy decisions and defending key decisions under legal scrutiny.

Jonathan is experienced in managing complex public law disputes, including judicial review and procurement litigation, and has been involved in some of the most significant public law cases of recent years, such as the rail franchising litigation.

He is also a highly regarded public inquiry lawyer, having acted for core participants in some of the most prominent public inquiries of the past decade. He has supported government departments and public bodies in these contexts, advising on the legal, procedural, and reputational aspects of their involvement.

In addition to his public sector work, Jonathan advises corporate clients in regulated industries, particularly transport and defence, on commercial public law issues.

Skills and strengths:

Jonathan brings a practical, strategic approach to complex regulatory and legal challenges, which has earned him a reputation for clear, practical advice.

He is recognised by The Legal 500 and Chambers as a leading public law expert.

Case highlights

Jonathan's primary clients are public sector bodies and corporates operating in regulated industries. His recent experience includes:

  • Acting for a central government department in complex judicial review litigation.
  • Acting for the Department for Transport in the ‘rail franchising litigation’.
  • Acting for NHS Test and Trace in managing all public and private law challenges against the programme during the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • Acting for a food manufacturer in a judicial review challenge relating to the UK Government’s food strategy.
  • Acting for defence corporates in several procurement challenges.

Publications