Our Public Law Group is expert in providing the highest quality public law advice informed by a detailed knowledge and understanding of government and government processes across the UK.

Our public law team uses its legal expertise and knowledge of government to advise both public and private sector clients on a wide range of matters arising from the development, passage, content, interpretation and application of laws and regulations.

The team is closely aligned to both our Competition and Regulatory Group and the Professional Discipline and Regulation Group, which enables us to draw on the expertise of these Groups to ensure that our advice is full, focused and practical. We also work closely with colleagues from related practice areas within the firm, including Employment, Energy and Utilities, Media and Technology, Planning and Environment and PPP.

The Public Law Group specialises in all areas of public and parliamentary law including:

• Judicial review and legal challenges
• Human rights
• Freedom of information
• Devolution and constitutional questions
• Statutory powers and interpretation
• Public sector governance and regulation
• Legislative drafting
• Bill objections
• Constitutional governance and best practice
• Electoral law and political funding

In addition, the team provides regular updates to clients and contacts through our e-bulletin service that keeps them informed about developments in public law and best practice.

• Solicitors to clients such as the Scottish Parliament, the Standards Commission for Scotland, the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation, the Faculty and Institute of Actuaries, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Scottish Enterprise and the Health and Safety Executive.
• Advising a wide range of public and private sector bodies on the implications of the freedom of information regimes in Scotland and the rest of the UK.
• Advising a number of bodies on the legislative process, including private bills procedures at Westminster and Holyrood.
• Advising independent government reviews on matters in relation to their remit and interaction with various government departments, as well as compliance with data protection and freedom of information legislation.
• Advising a leading UK regulatory agency on the scope of Scottish legislation and its legislative competence and the drafting of a memorandum of understanding with certain devolved Scottish regulatory bodies.
• Assisting a professional regulatory body in amending its disciplinary schemes in light of government initiatives, including conducting negotiations with the Department of Trade and Industry and HM Treasury over the impact of proposed legislative changes.
• Advising clients on the potential for judicial review of government action.
• Advising public and private bodies on questions such as the compatibility of Scottish and UK legislative and policy measures with human rights and the susceptibility of organisations’ internal procedures to human rights challenge.
• Advising a leading UK politician in relation to significant and topical issues relating to UK electoral law.

Following is a selection of our clients:

• Audit Scotland
• Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
• Health and Safety Executive
• HM Revenue and Customs
• Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
• Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body
• ScottishPower
• Standards Commission for Scotland
• The UK Actuarial Profession
• Water Industry Commission for Scotland

"They are always approachable and friendly to deal with".
Local Authority Client 2006