30 Park Place is at the forefront of public law and devolution issues in Wales and is home to the largest team of public law advocates in Wales.

Head of the Public Law Team: Rhodri Williams QC

Members of the team are leaders in their field and are instructed in some of the most important and high profile cases nationwide. A number of the team have appeared and are instructed in the Supreme Court and the European Court of Justice. Ruth Henke QC assisted with drafting the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and continues to advise on its implementation and statutory guidance. Members of chambers co-founded the Wales Public Law and Human Rights Association. We are uniquely placed to advise claimants, national and local government and other public bodies on devolved law which is developing at a fast pace. Members of chambers are appointed to the Attorney General’s and the Welsh Government’s panel of advocates.

Chambers covers all areas of public law, including: human rights, immigration, social care, local government, education, planning, mental health, housing, commercial, public inquiries and inquests.

Some of our important recent cases include:

Contaminated blood – Rhodri Williams QC and Christian J Howells were instructed to bring a claim for judicial review of the UK Government’s refusal to hold a public inquiry.  After drafting a letter of claim, the PrimeMinister announced on the last day for responding that the Government would hold a public inquiry, and further, a full statutory inquiry.

Reference by the Attorney General for England and Wales [2012] UKSC 53 - Rhodri Williams QC represented the National Assembly for Wales in the Supreme Court on the leading Welsh constitutional case, the Attorney General’s challenge of the legality of the first Bill passed by the National Assembly, in the Local Government Byelaws (Wales) Bill 2012.

IT (Jamaica) v SSHD [2018] UKSC – Christian J Howells represents the Appellant in the Supreme Court on the correct approach to the best interests of the child when considering their family life (article 8 ECHR) in a deportation case.  The Supreme Court will consider the correct interpretation of the statutory considerations in article 8 appeals contained in ss117A-D of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

R (Gurung) v SSHD [2013] 1 WLR 2546 – Christian J Howells appeared for the appellants in the Court of Appeal which held that when the adult dependant children of former Gurkhas continue to enjoy a family life with them (article 8 ECHR) the historic wrong caused to Gurkhas is such a strong reason for holding that it is proportionate to allow them to join their parents in the UK.

Brent LBC-v-Risk Management Partners Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 490 - Rhodri Williams QC appeared in the leading case on local authority vires.

SRCL Ltd-v-NHS Commissioning Board [2017] EWHC (TCC); Rhodri Williams QC appeared in claim for breach of Public Contract Regulations 2015 in relation to the award of a contract for the provision of NHS dental services.

R (Peter Lloyd) v Cardiff City Council [2017] EWHC (unreported) – Christian J Howells appeared in the first judicial review brought under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and successfully argued that the Council acted ultra vires in refusing to make direct payments.

R (Kristina Wray) v HM Deputy Coroner for Pemrokeshire and Carmarthenshire [2017] EWHC (settled) – Lloyd Williams QC and Christian J Howells challenged the Coroner’s refusal to hold an article 2 ECHR compliant inquest.

Premaitha Ltd-v-Cardiff & Vale UHB [2016] EWHC (TCC); Rhodri Williams QC and Carl Harrison appeared in a challenge to tender procedure held by Cardiff and Vale UHB for the award of a contract for the implementation of an in-house non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) screening service. The execution of the contract was suspended pursuant to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

R (Tilley)-v-Vale of Glamorgan Council [2016] EWHC 2272 (Admin) – Rhodri Williams QC and Christian J Howells appeared on behalf of the claimant in a challenge to the Vale’s decision to implement community libraries.

R (Jones)-v-Denbighshire CC [2016] 2074 (Admin) – Rhodri Williams QC appeared in a challenge to decision of local education authority to reorganise Welsh Language education in its area.

Brent LBC-v-Risk Management Partners Ltd & London Authorities Mutual Ltd & Harrow LBC [2011] UKSC 7; [2011] LGR 169. Rhodri Williams QC successfully represented the Appellants in the first case on EU public procurement law to reach the UK Supreme Court. The case involved the interpretation of the Teckal exemption for quasi in-house contracts to the application of the EU public procurement regime.

To contact our Public Law Clerking Team, please click here.