Department profile
Sharpe Pritchard LLP

Administrative & Public Law

UK Guide 2026 : UK-wide

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Sharpe Pritchard LLP

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About

Provided by Sharpe Pritchard LLP

​Type of work handled

Our team has a longstanding reputation for acting for parties in judicial reviews, injunctions, and statutory reviews and appeals. Our claim to be the ‘go to’ firm for local authorities has its roots in a long-standing close association with the public sector. 

We advise clients from beginning to end, including on pre-action protocol, the merits of the case, the procedures and the costs, including the complexities of protective costs orders. 

Our team focuses its work on the Administrative Court (including the Planning Court) in London. We regularly act for public bodies and applicants across the full range of administrative law actions, including: 

  • planning judicial reviews and statutory appeals
  • environmental cases
  • homelessness cases
  • challenges to consultation exercises and the use of delegated powers
  • breach of statutory duty and vires claims
  • cases relating to the use and designation of land
  • open spaces and village greens
  • rating
  • compulsory purchase cases
  • obtaining injunctions

    ​Categories of clients

    Mainly public bodies and particularly local authorities defending judicial review actions and planning appeals.

    Landowners and businesses making challenges.

    ​Recent work highlights

    We appeared in the Planning Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court in the recent cases relating to the National Planning Policy Framework.

    Clients (4)

    • Suffolk Coastal District Council
    • Dartford Borough Council
    • Lewes District Council
    • Heritage England

    Industries (1)

    • Public bodies

    Chambers Review

    Provided by Chambers

    Administrative & Public Law - UK-wide

    What the Team is Known For
    Sharpe Pritchard has a public law practice with considerable experience assisting local authorities, as well as central government and public bodies. The firm is capable of representing clients in judicial review proceedings alongside advising on a broad array of public law matters concerning local government.
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    Work Highlights

    Provided by Chambers

    • Sharpe Pritchard represented the Free Speech Union in their judicial review challenge against the Secretary of State for Education. This is in relation to the allegedly unconstitutional and unlawful revocation of the commencement of the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act.

    Strengths

    Provided by Chambers

    • The lawyers at Sharpe Pritchard have brilliant communication and manage client expectations providing an exemplary service.

      Administrative & Public Law respondentUK

    • Sharpe Pritchard understand commercial complexity as well as legal complexity.

      Administrative & Public Law respondentUK

    • Sharpe Pritchard has a true public law specialist team. They handle complex and high-value judicial review claims and cut through tricky legal and procedural issues.

      Administrative & Public Law respondentUK

    Notable Practitioners

    Provided by Chambers

    • George McLellan
      George McLellan

      George McLellan

      George McLellan has a growing practice in advising clients on public law issues, such as judicial reviews, public consultations and regulatory advice. His clients include the likes of private corporations, individuals and central government departments.

      • George is very astute, extremely competent and skilled.

        Administrative & Public Law respondentUK

      • George is super commercial and a great creative thinker trying to work out the solutions in unfamiliar scenarios to get the optimum commercial result for his clients.

        Administrative & Public Law respondentUK

      • George is a tough litigator who is not afraid to fight in his client's corner.

        Administrative & Public Law respondentUK

      • George understands how his clients tick and how they can use public law to achieve their commercial objectives.

        Administrative & Public Law respondentUK
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    • Jonathan Blunden
      Jonathan Blunden

      Jonathan Blunden

      Jonathan Blunden of Sharpe Pritchard advises both public and private sector clients on public law matters, including judicial reviews, legislative drafting, statutory appeals and decision-making, among others.

      • Jonathan is a very sharp lawyer and is particularly good if you want to unpick some knotty, highly legalistic problem.

        Administrative & Public Law respondentUK

      • Jonathan is intellectual and he thinks carefully about things. He adds a huge amount of value and is very focused on the issues.

        Administrative & Public Law respondentUK

      • Jonathan is an extremely clever and very knowledgeable public lawyer.

        Administrative & Public Law respondentUK
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    Ranked Individuals at Sharpe Pritchard LLP (2)

    UK-wide

    Members

    Provided by Sharpe Pritchard LLP

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