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
David specialises in all areas of public law, human rights, European Union law, environmental and planning law.
David regularly appears in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. He frequently acts as sole counsel on behalf of the United Kingdom Government in proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and has represented the United Kingdom in proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights.
David is ranked as a leading barrister in six different areas in the main legal directories: Administrative Law, Environment, EU Law, Immigration Law, Local Government Law and Planning Law.
The 2015 Planning Magazine survey ranked him as a top-rated planning junior. The 2009 Planning Magazine survey ranked him in the top 10 planning barristers in the country under 35.
David has been nominated for the Human Rights and Public Law Silk of the Year in the Chambers and Partners Bar Awards 2024 and he was named the Immigration Silk of the Year at The Legal 500 UK Bar Awards 2023. David was shortlisted for the Chambers and Partners Human Rights and Public Law Junior of the Year award in both 2018 and 2016, and for the Legal 500 Public Law Junior of the Year award in 2018.
In 2015, he was appointed to the Attorney General’s A Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown, after 5 years on the B Panel and 3 years on the C Panel before that. He was also on the Treasury Solicitor’s former list of counsel specialising in Freedom of Information issues until its incorporation into the main Attorney General’s Panels. He regularly works on national security cases.
David began practice in 2004, after spending a year working as a Judicial Assistant to the Law Lords (Lord Nicholls and Lord Rodger).
He is the Joint Editor of the leading public law journal Judicial Review and was a Visiting Lecturer in European Community law at City University.
David is fluent in French, and has good German, basic Czech and Slovak and is learning Farsi.
Education
Qualifications
• Modern Languages (French and German) at Trinity College, Cambridge, and the Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris.
• M.Phil in International Relations at Trinity College, Cambridge. Thesis: minority rights in the EU accession process, with particular focus on the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
• Law at City University, awarded MA in Law. Dissertation: material error of fact as a ground of judicial review.
• Major Scholar of the Inner Temple
• Inner Temple Bursary holder
• Bar Council Stage Scholar
Scholarships
Whilst at Cambridge, David was awarded a number of college scholarships. He was also awarded scholarships by the German and Czech Governments for academic work abroad.
Awards
• Shortlisted for the Legal 500 UK Bar Awards 2023 Immigration 'Silk of the Year'
Memberships
• Administrative Law Bar Association
• United Kingdom Environmental Law Association
Publications
• Book: Author of the chapter on access to environmental information in Banner, The Aarhus Convention: A Guide for UK Lawyers (2015), Hart Publishing.
• Book: Author of the human rights chapter in Bickford-Smith and Francis Rights of Light: The Modern Law (2007) 2nd Ed., Jordan Publishing.
• Book: Updated the Social Services chapter of Drabble, Maurici and Buley Local Authorities and the Human Rights Act (2004), Blackstone Press.
• Published article: “Top 10 Public Law Cases 2015-2016″ [2016] JR Vol 21, Issue 3.”
• Published article: “Ultra Vires Legitimate Expectations” [2005] JR Vol 10, Issue 2.
• Published article: “Material Error of Fact: Where Are We Now?” [2004] JR Vol 9, Issue 1.
• Editorial work: Joint Editor of Judicial Review (with David Lock KC), Routledge.
• Editorial work: Editor of the Planning Encyclopedia (with David Elvin KC), Sweet and Maxwell.
• Editorial work: Case digester for the Administrative Court Digest, 2002-2011.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'One of the best immigration chambers in the country.'
- 'Landmark are a top set for public law and human rights which includes much immigration related litigation. They have a great stable of barristers and their clerking is extremely user friendly.'
- 'Clear, knowledgeable, personable and well structured.'
- 'Very professional outfit, with good strength in depth at both senior and junior levels and the clerking service is excellent.'
- 'Landmark Chambers really stands out for its depth of expertise in all aspects of public law, including in particular immigration.'
- 'Very highly regarded in immigration, public law and other areas.'
- 'Clerks are always very helpful and responsive.'
- 'Very approachable, in-depth knowledge, works as a team and excellent advocacy and drafting.'