Paul Ridge > Bindmans LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Bindmans LLP Offices

236 GRAY'S INN ROAD
LONDON
WC1X 8HB
England
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Paul Ridge

Work Department
Public Law and Human Rights, Housing and Property.
Position
Partner in the Public Law team and Head of Housing and Property.
As well as individuals Paul regularly advises charities and organisations in regulatory matters and disputes. He represents individuals, campaign and action groups, charities, schools and religious organisations.
His aim is often to deal with issues swiftly, economically and without litigation. He has experience of mediation and ADR, but where needed Paul litigates. He has a string of cases through the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Paul regularly acts for family members and the Official Solicitor in the County Court, High Court and Court of Protection. He is currently acting for a large number of residents and survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
Career
Paul joined Bindmans in 2001 and became a Partner in 2010.
Paul’s significant work includes:
Property and housing
Santos v Compatriot Holdings – Court of Appeal – Successful defence of a tenant Rent Act 1977
Secretarial Nominee v Thomas – Court of Appeal decision relating to security under the Rent Act 1977
MM & Savant v Brown & Raja & Pauley (Lands Tribunal)
Successful challenge to service charge liability and defence of s20 LTA
Wynbay Ltd v (1) London RAP (2) Osman EWHC 172 (Admin) – fair rents; adequacy of reasons
Eelapatheeswarar Aalayam (Shiva Temple) v Seevaratnam & others – 050265 High Court – successful claim for the return and control of a Hindu Temple
Nicholas Patrick Smith v UBS A3/2011/3166. High Court victory in overturning a possession order relating to Occupy
Charity and Regulatory
Shergill & Others v Kharia & others – Supreme Court, test case on religious jurisdiction and the court
LSC v Henthorn – CA test case on solicitors liability under Legal Aid regulations
Successful appeal against the imposition of sanctions against a solicitor imposed almost 2 years earlier by the SRA
Acted for various dental practices facing regulatory investigations including representations to the PCT and dental investigation unit
Successful challenge to refusal of admission by the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (‘PMETB’)
Independent Schools Council v Charity Commission, NCVO & Education Review Group – Upper Tribunal regarding provision of education and charitable status of private schools
Advising faith based charities on regulatory investigation and trustee disputes
Advising schools and education charities on OFSTED and Charity Commission regulation
Judicial Review, Health Care and Court of Protection
R(G) v Barnet – Supreme Court leading case on s17 Children Act duty
R(J) v Enfield All ER (D) 209 (Mar) Successful challenge to the failure to assist a woman with HIV. Confirmed power to provide community care services under s2 Local Government Act consultation requirements
LB Redbridge v G (No 6) EWCA Civ 446, Court of Appeal acted for Official Solicitor in protection proceedings and defending the intervention of the press and payment of costs
R (on the application of Sawyer) v Bishop of Chelmsford] Administrative Court – successful judicial review of the Church of England
Public Inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire
Paul represents a significant number of residents and families that have been granted core participant status in the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire
Freedom of speech and Protest
Hall and Others v Mayor of London – Court of Appeal acted for Democracy Village in occupation of Parliament Square
Advice to Occupy, rent strike and student occupation protests throughout UK
R(Gallestegui) v Westminster CC & others EWCA Civ 28 – Court of Appeal challenge to the Police Reform and Social responsibility Act 2011 and control of Parliament Square
Nicholas Patrick Smith v UBS A3/2011/3166. Acted for the “Bank of Ideas” in the High Court victory in overturning a possession order relating to Occupy
National Farmers Union v Persons Unknown & Badger Trust HQ13X0416 – acted for the Badger Trust in relation to the limits of protest against the Badger cull
Memberships
Paul is on the editorial board of Community Care Law Reports.
Education
Paul graduated from University College London. Following this, he gained a distinction in the LPC, winning the Law Society prize as top of his year.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Real estate > Social housing: tenant
(Hall of Fame)The social housing team at Bindmans LLP is praised as ‘a market leader’ for its notable expertise in exclusively representing tenants across the entire gamut of housing law, and it is frequently sought after to handle mandates involving mental capacity issues, fire safety, civil liberties, and community care. With substantial experience assisting cladding victims, ‘veteran’ departmental lead Paul Ridge also had a pivotal role in representing the victims of Grenfell Tower. The ‘brilliant housing lawyer’ Christian Hansen boasts extensive expertise in large group claims for tenants and leaseholders against social landlords. Hansen also specialises in Human Rights Act defenses against possession claims. Other key members of the team include Will Whitaker and Emma Pein.
London > Public sector > Administrative and public law
Bindmans LLP houses ‘an outstanding admin and public law team with exceptional practitioners covering a full range of public law issues’. The practice is headed by John Halford, who is highly recommended for his skills in judicial review and public law challenges. Paul Ridge
is ‘a great lawyer with huge knowledge of inquiries’, while the ‘outstanding’ Emma Varley is noted for her experience acting for children in education-related judicial reviews. Shirin Marker and Jessie Brennan are further standout members of the team. Marker regularly acts for victims of trafficking and age-disputed minors, while Brennan has experience with immigration detention cases. The team has been strengthened with the addition of Alice Hardy, who joined from Hodge Jones & Allen in June 2023. Hardy has particular expertise in matters relating to women’s rights and protest law. Nancy Collins joined the firm from Hodge Jones & Allen in September 2024. Salima Budhani left the firm in May 2024
Lawyer Rankings
- Administrative and public law London > Public sector
- Hall of Fame London > Real estate > Social housing: tenant
- Social housing: tenant London > Real estate
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Public sector > Administrative and public law
- Public sector > Civil liberties and human rights
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Crime: general
- Employment > Immigration: human rights
- Real estate > Social housing: tenant
Firm Rankings
- Insurance > Clinical negligence: claimant
- Private client > Court of protection
- Public sector > Education: individuals
- Public sector > Healthcare
- Insurance > Personal injury: claimant
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Reputation management
- Private client > Family
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals)
- Employment > Immigration
- Employment > Immigration: personal