Public and administrative law

Public law is the law of government, including the relationship between private parties and government. The barristers at Bankside Chambers have experience in many aspects of public law including appearing before Parliamentary committees and advising on legislative policy development, representing parties in public inquiries and before watchdog agencies such as the Ombudsman and the Auditor-General, advising on constitutional law and human rights, obtaining disclosure of official information from public bodies and acting in litigation for and against the Crown.

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Administrative law is a branch of public law concerned with administrative and regulatory decision-making of government agencies. Administrative law usually involves judicial review, which is an application to the High Court to challenge an exercise of public power by an agency, including where the agency has acted in excess of its jurisdiction, made an error of law, breached requirements of natural justice, acted unreasonably or for an improper purpose. Judicial review cases generally involve questions of statutory interpretation of the legislation under which the power was exercised, and the High Court may grant remedies requiring the agency to revise and remake its decision.