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Deighton Pierce Glynn

8 UNION STREET, LONDON, SE1 1SZ, ENGLAND
Swindon, London, Bristol

What we say about the firm's legal practice in London

Public sector

Within Administrative and public law, tier 4

‘One of the best claimant firms around’, Pierce Glynn Solicitors’ team of ‘extremely high-calibre lawyers’ has experience in judicial reviews and statutory appeals. Rated for her experience in gender equality cases, ‘clear, succinct and knowledgeable’ senior associate Louise Whitfield is a ‘brilliant litigator’, and the ‘truly impressive’ Adam Hundt in Bristol has healthcare expertise. Sue Willman is ‘very well respected’, and Gareth Mitchell provides ‘highly technical legal arguments’. ‘Clever, tenacious and hardworking’ associate Zubier Yazdani leads on children’s rights.

Within Civil liberties and human rights, Deighton Pierce Glynn is a second tier firm,

With ‘expert knowledge’, Pierce Glynn Solicitors’ ‘extremely assiduous, organised and capable’ group is ‘100% on top of complex legal issues’, and has experience in social welfare, discrimination and unlawful immigration detention. The ‘incredibly knowledgeable and dogged’ Sue Willman handles asylum support cases, and Bristol-based Polly Glynn has ‘great expertise’ and is currently active in two cases before the ECHR. The ‘truly impressive’ Adam Hundt, also based in Bristol, has ‘fine legal judgement and tenacity’, and ‘unsurpassed knowledge of health law’. Joanna Thomson is a ‘star performer’, and senior associate Louise Whitfield is ‘extremely accomplished’.

Within Healthcare, tier 4

Pierce Glynn Solicitors is a ‘leader in the UK in the area of improving access to healthcare’, with ‘encyclopaedic knowledge of NHS legislation’. The practice acted in a number of test cases in 2010, including a case involving access to care for migrants, which resulted in a change of policy by the Department of Health. Adam Hundt is ‘exceptional’, and a ‘careful, thoughtful, modest and astonishingly able solicitor’.

Within Overview,

In the public law arena, claimant and commercial firms are ranked together in one table. City firms Herbert Smith LLP, Hogan Lovells International LLP and Baker & McKenzie LLP all have standout practices, while Beachcroft, Bindmans LLP and Leigh Day & Co remain leaders on the claimant side. Bindmans LLP also has a market-leading human rights and civil liberties practice, with other firms such as Irwin Mitchell LLP, Bhatt Murphy Solicitors and Pierce Glynn Solicitors singled out for particular expertise in niche areas, including mental health and prison law cases.

Real estate

Within Social housing: tenant , Deighton Pierce Glynn is a first tier firm,

Pierce Glynn Solicitors’ ‘strong’ team is ‘always 100% on top of social housing legal issues’, and has ‘a real eye for a test case’. It advises on all aspects of social housing, with particular expertise in asylum seekers and migrant support. The team has two cases before the ECHR, Atkinson v UK and Bah v UK. Gareth Mitchell and ‘committed’ practice head Stephen Pierce both ‘really know their stuff’.

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Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
    - 11KBW

  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
    - 11KBW

  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
    - 11KBW

  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW

  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
    - 11KBW

  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
    - 11KBW

  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue:
    - Penningtons Solicitors LLP

  • Premium service for tier 2 and 5 sponsors to be launched

    A premium service for sponsors will be launched by the UKBA on 6 April 2012. The service is designed specifically for companies that sponsor international employees under tier 2 and 5 of the points based system and aims to provide them with enhanced support.
    - Penningtons Solicitors LLP
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