With broad public law experience, Geldards LLP advises clients on compliance, regeneration, employment and procurement issues. The firm is instructed by local authorities, central government and regulatory bodies. When necessary, the team represents public clients in litigation and dispute resolution. The team is spearheaded by Helen Snow, who advises on employment law, data protection and education. Charles Felgate focuses on planning and environmental law. Tony Norris advises on infrastructure projects as well as adjudication. Jonathan Griffiths is a litigation expert, with experience before the administrative court. In August 2025, Chris Williams retired as partner.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- They are extremely knowledgeable and highly experienced, but they provide advice in a language that is easy for us to understand. This results in fit-for-purpose contractual arrangements procured in compliance with public sector procurement regulations. The whole team are standouts: Tony Norris, Clare Hardy, Jonathan Griffiths, Claire Laviers, Grace Day.
- Helen Snow - the Head of the practice area. Very quick and very smart. Many years of experience in this area and she really knows her clients, the issues that arise, and the way to achieve clients' objectives. Lowri Phillips - a very experienced partner. Very clever and knowledgeable and an excellent listener. A highly effective lawyer and knows how to get results.
- Quite simply, the market leader in Wales in this area, with a breadth of experience and client responsiveness to match.
- Jonathan Griffiths is a first-class partner who sits at the heart of the public sector team. He possesses a remarkable understanding of the day-to-day realities confronting local authorities, NHS bodies, and other public institutions in Wales, and he approaches every instruction with a reassuring composure and clarity of thought. Jonathan is valued by clients as much for his capacity to take a step back and appreciate the wider context as for his sharp legal mind. He steers clients through demanding and often high-profile circumstances with assurance and sensitivity. His commitment to client service is second to none; he cultivates enduring relationships through the consistent quality of his work. He ranks, unquestionably, among the very best public sector practitioners in Wales. Charles Felgate stands head and shoulders above his contemporaries in Wales for public sector work at the crossroads of planning and environmental law. He has a formidable and comprehensive understanding of the Welsh planning regime and the wider environmental regulatory framework. When public sector clients and other professionals in Wales face their most complex and consequential planning and environmental challenges, Charles is invariably the person they call first.
- I mainly work with one solicitor, Helen Snow, and she’s always been great to deal with—helpful, approachable, and quick to respond. One of the big things that makes the practice stand out for us is their bilingual service. Being able to communicate naturally in Welsh and receive Welsh-language documents when needed is really important for the Authority, and they deliver that consistently. They’re easy to work with, understand what we need, and give clear, practical advice.
Key clients
- The Welsh Ministers
- Senedd Commission
- Natural Resources Wales
- The Agricultural Advisory Panel for Wales
- Estyn (the Welsh equivalent of Ofsted)
- Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales
- Development Bank of Wales
- Vale of Glamorgan Council
- Caerphilly County Borough Council
- Carmarthenshire County Council
- Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority
- Snowdonia National Park Authority
Work highlights
Appointed by Welsh Government to draft the Social Public Works clauses under the Social Partnership and Procurement Act 2023.
Advising the Agricultural Advisory Panel for Wales on the implications of legislative changes in employment law and preparing the Agricultural Wages Order, which sets out the terms and conditions of agricultural workers in Wales.
Advising the Welsh Ministers and NHS in Wales in pursuing a substantial competition law claim against Servier SAS and others in relation to the drug Perindopril.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Helen Snow
Other key lawyers
Charles Felgate; Jonathan Griffiths; Susanne Bradley; Bethan Walsh; Tony Norris