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Advocates Library, Parliament House, Edinburgh, EH1 1RF

Telephone: 0131 226 2881
facsimile: 0131 225 3642
Email: Clerks
DX ED 549302
Edinburgh 36

Public Law, Judicial Review and Human Rights

Areas of Specialism

Public Law, Judicial Review and Human Rights

Public law, sometimes called administrative law, regulates the legal relationship between public authorities and private organisations and individuals.

Public law disputes are usually dealt with by a petition for judicial review in the Court of Session or by way of a statutory appeal procedure.

Judicial review allows individuals and businesses to challenge the decisions made by Ministers, Government Departments, local authorities and other public bodies. These bodies can include professional organisations, regulatory bodies, planning authorities and some tribunals.

The Human Rights Act 1998 significantly expanded the scope to challenge decisions made by public bodies by making it unlawful for public bodies to act incompatibly with certain provisions of the European Convention on Human rights (“ECHR”).

The courts can strike down delegated legislation and Acts of the Scottish Parliament. Axiom members have significant expertise in constitutional law and have acted in the leading cases that have arisen since devolution and the creation of the Scottish Parliament.

Members of Axiom Advocates have extensive experience in all aspects of public law and have appeared in the majority of the leading cases in this area in recent years.

Members have significant experience in relation to:

Constitutional law
Judicial Review
Human Rights & civil liberties
Local government
Planning & environmental law
Data protection & privacy
Freedom of information
Immigration & nationality
Mental health
Police & prison law
Housing law
Education law
Public Inquiries
Public procurement
Regulatory & disciplinary law

Advocates in : Public Law, Judicial Review and Human Rights Order by Seniority

Roddy Dunlop QC (Dean of Faculty)

Roddy Dunlop QC (Dean of Faculty)

Call: 1998 | Silk: 2010

The Lord Keen of Elie QC - Advocate General for Scotland (non-practising)

The Lord Keen of Elie QC - Advocate General for Scotland (non-practising)

Call: 1980 | Silk: 1993

John N M MacGregor QC

John N M MacGregor QC

Call: 2007 | Silk: 2020

Megan Dewart

Megan Dewart

Call: 2019

Scott Manson

Scott Manson

Call: 2014

Alastair Duncan QC

Alastair Duncan QC

Call: 1999 | Silk: 2012

Euan Duthie QC

Euan Duthie QC

Call: 2006 | Silk: 2019

Helen Watts

Helen Watts

Call: 2009

Julian Ghosh QC

Julian Ghosh QC

Call: 1999 | Silk: 2010

David Thomson QC

David Thomson QC

Call: 2004 | Silk: 2017

Jonathan Lake QC

Jonathan Lake QC

Call: 1994 | Silk: 2008

Ewen Campbell

Ewen Campbell

Call: 2013

David Welsh

David Welsh

Call: 2017

Paul O’Brien QC

Paul O’Brien QC

Call: 2004 | Silk: 2020

Mark Lindsay QC

Mark Lindsay QC

Call: 1996 | Silk: 2011

Heriot Currie QC

Heriot Currie QC

Call: 1979 | Silk: 1992

Gerry Moynihan QC

Gerry Moynihan QC

Call: 1985 | Silk: 1997

Ruth Crawford QC (Treasurer)

Ruth Crawford QC (Treasurer)

Call: 1993 | Silk: 2008

Kenny McBrearty QC

Kenny McBrearty QC

Call: 2000 | Silk: 2013

James Mure QC

James Mure QC

Call: 1995 | Silk: 2009

David Johnston QC

David Johnston QC

Call: 1992 | Silk: 2005

The Lord (Neil) Davidson of Glen Clova QC

The Lord (Neil) Davidson of Glen Clova QC

Call: 1979 | Silk: 1993

Dan Byrne

Dan Byrne

Call: 2010

Jacqueline Fordyce

Jacqueline Fordyce

Call: 2016

Susan Ower

Susan Ower

Call: 2009

Jonathan Barne QC

Jonathan Barne QC

Call: 2003 | Silk: 2017

Lesley Irvine

Lesley Irvine

Call: 2012

Morag Ross QC

Morag Ross QC

Call: 2003 | Silk: 2016

Adam McKinlay

Adam McKinlay

Call: 2018

Chris Paterson

Chris Paterson

Call: 2010

David Massaro

David Massaro

Call: 2014

Martin Richardson QC

Martin Richardson QC

Call: 2004 | Silk: 2017