Martin Westgate KC

UK Bar

Martin Westgate KC typically acts for individual claimants and NGOs seeking to challenge secondary legislation and public body decisions. He is particularly strong in cases involving welfare cuts, housing and discrimination.

"Martin holds the court's attention well on complex technical points."

"Martin is very clever and knows all aspect of public law. He's an encyclopaedia of it."

"He is like the grandfather of public law relating to social injustice. He has an absolutely lovely manner in court and he is a really effective advocate in court."

Martin Westgate KC is a respected leader of the public law team at Doughty Street and widely considered to be a go-to silk for tenants and applicants. He has been involved in high-profile cases concerning the housing benefit cap and the so-called 'bedroom tax'. He regularly acts on matters where human rights and housing law interact. A further area of expertise lies in advising local authorities on policy issues.

"Martin is extremely clever and able. He is a top-level silk for housing and public law disputes."

"There is no one better than Martin for complex housing cases. He is extremely persuasive and his analysis is always very impressive."

Martin Westgate KC is a distinguished human rights barrister with a broad practice. He is also leader of the Doughty Street Chambers public law team. His complementary expertise in the areas of social housing and welfare serves to strengthen his work in the field of civil liberties and human rights. He has undertaken cases concerning the right to life, freedom from detention and the right to protest.

"Martin has seen and done it all. He has a lot of experience, is calm, measured, and considered."

"Martin has a studious style and is very clever. He knows all aspects of the public law, he's an encyclopaedia of it."

Martin Westgate KC is a widely renowned silk with a depth of experience in housing and social welfare work and its relation to community care. He is also well regarded for his handling of immigration and trafficking cases.

"Martin is incredibly bright and very studious about a case. He has a very understated style of advocacy."

Martin Westgate KC of Doughty Street Chambers is an erudite silk with vast experience at the Bar and a broad practice encompassing public sector law, housing and social care. He demonstrates particular strength in appellate work and regularly appears before the Administrative Court.

"Martin Westgate knows everything and has decades of experience in local government."

"Martin is a creative legal thinker."