Landmark Chambers ‘stands out for its depth of expertise in all aspects of public law’, with its immigration barristers acting on behalf of both the government and claimants at the tribunal, High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court level. David Blundell KC recently acted on behalf of the Secretary of State in Begum v SSHD, a high-profile case concerning the relationship between national security and procedural fairness whereby the Court of Appeal ultimately dismissed the appeal of the 25-year old who left Bethnal Green to join Islamic State in Syria a decade ago. Julia Smyth KC, who was appointed King’s Counsel in 2025, has led on several prominent cases involving provisions within the Withdrawal Agreement, while Alex Goodman KC led the successful appeal in ASY and Others v SSHD, a case concerning damages for breaches of Article 3 ECHR for migrant mothers whose children were denied recourse to public funds. Tim Buley KC continues to act as lead Special Advocate in a number of cases under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
Position
Tim Buley KC specialises in all areas of public and regulatory law, human rights, and planning and environmental law.
Tim is recognised as a leading silk across eight areas in Chambers and Partners 2024 and the Legal 500 2024. Comments about Tim include that he is “clearly one of the most talented public lawyers of his generation of rising silks”, “a great advocate”, and that “when he’s your opposition, your heart sinks because he is so good”.
Tim’s practice covers the full range of public law work, from commercial and regulatory matters, planning and the environment, through constitutional and EU law, local government and healthcare, to civil liberties and human rights, immigration, and social welfare. He is equally experienced acting for and against public bodies, and for commercial interests and individuals. The breadth of his practice is demonstrated by his clients, who include commercial organisations and developers, regulators, individuals, NGOs and pressure groups, most central government departments, devolved administrations, many local authorities, and a wide range of independent and non-departmental public bodies.
Tim has appeared as leading counsel at all levels of the UK court system including numerous appearances in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and Administrative and Planning Courts, as well as in public inquiries and tribunals. He has also appeared in the Court of Justice of the European Union and the General Court. He has well over 250 reported cases across his practice areas.
Tim is a Special Advocate and a member of the Welsh Government’s Panel of King’s Counsel and the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Panel of Counsel. Prior to appointment to silk, Tim was a member of the Attorney-General’s A-Panel of junior counsel to the Crown and he continues to act for the government in significant cases. He is Developed Vetted. In Autumn 2022, he was appointed as a Deputy Judge of the Upper Tribunal (Administrative Appeals Chamber).
Education
Qualifications
• Tim was a scholar of Lincoln College, Oxford, where he read Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
• Tim studied law at City University, London, and subsequently undertook an LL.M in Public Law at King’s College, London, achieving distinctions in public law and jurisprudence.
Memberships
• Administrative and Public Bar Association (Executive Committee)
• Bar Pro Bono Unit
• Environmental Law Foundation
• Human Rights Lawyers Association
• Immigration Law Practitioners Association
• JUSTICE
• Liberty
• Planning and Environmental Bar Association
Publications
• Joint editor, with Richard Drabble KC and James Maurici KC, of Local Authorities and Human Rights (OUP, 2004)
• Contributor to Supperstone, Goudie and Walker: Judicial Review (3rd Ed, Butterworths, 2005, 4th Ed, 2010, 5th Ed, due 2014)
• Contributed articles to the journal “Judicial Review”, including, “Mandatory Detention” (June 2012)
• Co-author of the section on High Court challenges in the loose-leaf “Garner’s Environmental Law” (published 2014)
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