‘Leaders in public law with real bench strength’, Blackstone Chambers remain at the forefront of the most prominent administrative law cases and have a strong human rights law pedigree. Members of the set have led on some of the highest-profile recent administrative law cases, with James Eadie KC - as treasury devil, the government's first-choice outside silk - and the ‘very bright’ Marlena Valles acting on opposite sides of Court of Appeal case R (Castellucci) v Gender Recognition Panel, in which an American who, having been re-issued with a California birth certificate with the sex field changed from male to non-binary, unsuccessfully sought a similar Gender Recognition Certificate in England. ‘The leading silk for administrative law cases’ according to some, Lord Pannick KC is currently acting with the ‘simply brilliant’ Paul Luckhurst on a challenge to the Government’s decision to apply VAT to independent school fees in R (ALR and Others) v Chancellor of the Exchequer. Jason Pobjoy KC and Naina Patel KC both took silk in 2025, and each have established public law practices with recent experience acting for both claimants and defendants in a range of courts.

11KBW has ‘has outstanding breadth and depth of high quality counsel’. At the silk level the set can features the ‘exceptionally knowledgeable’ Julian Milford KC , who represented the defendant in R (TransActual) v Secretary of State for Health, a judicial review of secondary legislation prohibiting the prescription of puberty blockers to gender-questioning children (other than existing patients or in a future clinical trial) in the wake of the Cass Review - the claimant in the case was represented by Jason Coppel KC, as was, prior to his departure from chambers to join the High Court bench in November 2025. With strength in depth at the junior level, the ‘fantastic intellect’ Christopher Knight acted for the Home Secretary in the High Court against a judicial review by the Duke of Sussex concerning the provision of his police protection, and Heather Emmerson represented the claimant in a judicial review – which settled – over a policy of excluding houseboats from the winter fuel allowance.

‘Excellent in terms of administrative and human rights law’ 39 Essex Chambers has a range of ‘extremely committed and clever counsel’ at the silk and junior level, and are regularly instructed in major administrative law matters. ‘The best of the best when it comes to judicial review’, Jenni Richards KC represented the claimant in R (Clifford) v SSWP, a challenge to the consultation process on changes to the Work Capability Assessment, and Katherine Apps KC recently led for the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers in a challenge to the introduction of sub-six-figure personal injury and clinical negligence claims – the matter settled. Emily Wilsdon undertook oral advocacy as part of the government team in the aforementioned Clifford v DWP case. Saara Idelbi and Sam Fowles joined the team in August 2025.

With ‘a wealth of talent in the human rights field’, members of Matrix Chambers are regularly instructed in the largest and most prominent public and administrative law cases, particularly on behalf of claimants. Phillippa Kaufmann KC led other members of chambers in R (Al Haq) v SSBEIS, representing a Palestinian group in a judicial review of the licensing of exports of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter parts to Israel. The set had several members representing parties and interveners in For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers, in which the Supreme Court ruled that a Gender Recognition Certificate does not amend a person’s sex for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 - Sarah Hannett KC led the ‘unparalleled’ Raj Desai  for Amnesty International, with Karon Monaghan KC representing a number of gender-critical lesbian and gay groups. An ‘excellent and measure advocate’, Darryl Hutcheon   recently acted for the claimants in R (BZ) v SSWP, a case concerning exclusion of migrant victims of domestic abuse from Universal Credit, with challenges under ECHR Article 14. A ‘true superstar in the making’, Edward Craven KC took silk in 2025.

With ‘in-depth expertise and experience in public law matters’ Brick Court Chambers has a range of experienced administrative law and human rights counsel.  Jemima Stratford KC led in R (British Gas) v Secretary of State for Energy, a judicial review of the transfer of the business of collapsed energy supply Bulb to Octopus Energy - the matter is listed for hearing by the Court of Appeal. James McClelland KC and Emily MacKenzie represented the London Metal Exchange in R (Elliott Associates) v LME, defeating a claim for $471m of lost profits after the exchange cancelled nickel future trades, preventing its members from being on the hook for a $20bn margin call. In an unusual Opposed Bill Committee in the House of Lords, Paul Bowen KC  represented the promoters of the Corporation of the Hall of the Arts and Sciences - the charity which owns the Royal Albert Hall - in proceedings over amendments to its constitution allowing to raise further revenue from its members; Article 1 Protocol 1 arguments were raised by opponents to the bill.

Doughty Street Chambers ‘fields leaders in the field at every level of call’ in administrative and human rights law and have a particularly established reputation for claimant-side work. ‘The doyenne of public law and human rights work’, Edward Fitzgerald KC acted for the claimant charity in R (John Lyon’s Charity) v Secretary of State for Housing, a challenge to the compatibility of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 with ECHR Article 1 Protocol 1. Jude Bunting KC led in R (Sneddon) v Secretary of State for Justice, a case in the Court of Appeal concerning the rights of prisoners to transfer to open conditions, and the ‘imaginative, collaborative, strategic and very hard working’ Adam Straw KC is active as a special advocate. ‘One of the leading figures in human rights law at present’, Adam Wagner KC took silk in 2025.

Garden Court Chambers has been acclaimed as ‘outstanding in the field’ and for having ‘a great range of barristers at all levels of experience’, and are known for representing claimants in complex administrative and human rights law cases. A ‘uniquely talented barrister‘, Marc Willers KC led Ollie Persey in R (Smith) v SSHD, in which provisions in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 regarding unauthorized traveller encampments were subjected to a declaration of incompatibility. Especially strong at the junior level, key members of the set include Bijan Hoshi, who has experience acting in appeals against the Department for Work and Pensions on behalf of benefits claimants.

Landmark Chambers has ‘a good administrative law team, with impressive juniors as well as more senior counsel’. James Maurici KC acts for a a claimant group of investors in R (Abacus Land) v SSHCLG, one of a series of judicial reviews that allege that provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 are an expropriation in violation of A1P1 of the ECHR, leading Natasha Jackson in the high-profile litigation. David Blundell KC is a ‘really excellent government silk’ and recently represented the defendant in R (FTDI Holding) v Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the second challenge to reach court under the National Security and Investment Act 2021's provisions requiring divestment from countries on national security grounds. ‘An iron first in a silk glove’, Julia Smyth KC took silk in 2025 and has an established public law practice acting for defendants including the GLD - she acts for the SSWP in a Court of Appeal case regarding if a person who is absent from the UK can claim Employment and Support Allowance.

An ‘excellent set’ with ‘good strength in depth’, Monckton Chambers have a strong public law practice, with members integrating expertise in commercial law to lead in a range of judicial reviews and administrative law matters. The ‘obvious choice for the most legally complex matters’, Robert Palmer KC leads for the claimant in R (Aquind Ltd) v Ofgem, a challenge to a decision to refuse to approve an electricity interconnector between Portsmouth and Normandy citing the MoD’s national security objections, and Brendan McGurk KC  achieved success on an appeal in R (Humane League) v SSEFRA, in which a campaign group alleged that DEFRA operated in an unlawful policy in allowing the use of rapidly-growing chicken breeds for food production. ‘A very effective advocate’, Eric Metcalfe is a prominent junior in the set with recent work including acting alone in Moss vs The Upper Tribunal, a case concerning access by non-parties to court documents in that forum. Azeem Suterwalla KC took silk in 2025.

‘First rate for administrative and public law’, members of 1 Crown Office Row are instructed on administrative law and human rights matters by claimants and defendants. With a ‘very broad experience of public law‘, Shaheen Rahman KC leads on human rights elements of judicial review challenges, often acting as special advocate, and the ‘wonderful advocate’ Oliver Sanders KC has been instructed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland on a wide array of judicial reviews. Alasdair Henderson has experience in front of the Court of Appeal and the Administrative Court on a range of public law cases. Several members of the set have acted as special advocates or otherwise handled work with national security elements.

An ‘expert set of barristers’, Cornerstone Barristers has an increasingly established administrative law practice, with members integrating expertise in wider public law areas to lead in prominent judicial reviews and human rights law cases. The set is known for its strong relationships with local authorities, but climate litigation is a burgeoning area of specific expertise: with ‘incredible technical knowledge’ Estelle Dehon KC is a leading figure in the set and recently led Ruchi Parekh in the Supreme Court in Finch v Surrey County Council & ors, a high-profile case in which the Supreme Court found that, when considering emissions under planning regulations, downstream emissions were to be included. ‘A fearless advocate‘, Philip Coppel KC has experience in a range of public law matters.