We have unparalleled experience in advising our clients through public inquiries, including acting in some of the most complex and significant cases in recent years.
Public inquiry work, whilst sharing similarities with civil litigation in the High Court, comes with its own set of procedures and working practices, where we have established ourselves as experts.
We have assisted with a range of public inquiries including those established under the Inquiries Act (2005), promoting large Compulsory Purchase Orders, and acting for the National Trust and Historic England as objectors to nationally important planning schemes.
Our team also undertakes advocacy at these inquiries, including calling evidence from witnesses and undertaking cross-examination.
We guide our clients through the entire public inquiry process including:
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13 August 2025
Introduction On 11 August 2025, the High Court handed down its decision in Wikimedia Foundation and Another v Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology ([2025] EWHC 2086 (Admin)). This case marks one of the first significant legal challenges to the Online Safety Act 2023 (“OSA 2023”), a statute that has already provoked widespread…
Read more10 July 2025
The High Court’s Judgment in Millbrook Healthcare Limited v Devon County Council [2025] EWHC 744 (TCC) contains useful lessons in relation to interim relief in procurement claims. The Court’s ruling in Millbrook confirms that the “sufficiently serious” test for Francovich damages is irrelevant to the question (at the interlocutory stage of the proceedings) of whether damages…
Read more11 March 2025
The Court of Appeal has handed down its judgment in R (British Gas Trading and E.ON) v Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. This judgment follows the Divisional Court’s earlier refusal to grant British Gas and E.ON permission to judicially review decisions made by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and…
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