Search site
Contact our office
Bedminster office
Fishponds office
Kingswood office
Make an enquiry
Public Law and Human Rights Solicitors
Decisions made by public bodies can have a serious and often immediate impact on your life, your family and your future. Where those decisions are unfair, delayed or not made properly, it is important to understand what can be done to challenge them.
Watkins Solicitors is a long-established, multi-award-winning law firm, founded in 1998, with a national reputation for specialist public law and judicial review work. Our dedicated team advises individuals, families and professionals across England in situations where timely, practical legal support is needed.
We are widely recognised for our expertise across Public Law, Education, Family and Human Rights matters, and for acting in complex and urgent cases where early, decisive action is required.
Our work includes challenges to decisions made by local authorities, government departments, regulators and other public bodies. It is supported by our Public Law Legal Aid contract, allowing us to advise eligible clients on funding where appropriate.
Our Public Law and Human Rights team specialises in helping clients challenge decisions that are unlawful, unfair or delayed. This includes cases involving failures to provide education or care, unlawful local authority decisions, regulatory and DBS issues, immigration and asylum matters, and wider human rights concerns.
If you are affected by a decision that has left you or your family without support, facing uncertainty or at risk of harm, our specialist solicitors are here to listen, advise and support you. Early advice can often make a significant difference to how quickly a situation can be resolved.
To discuss your situation, please call 0117 939 0350 or email info@watkinssolicitors.co.uk.
A dedicated team specialising in public law, judicial review and human rights.
Experience in complex cases where early and decisive action is critical.
Advice on eligibility for Public Law Legal Aid where appropriate.
Advice for individuals, families and professionals across England.
In many cases, the legal process used to challenge decisions made by public bodies is called judicial review.
Judicial review is used where a decision has not been made properly or lawfully.
It is not about whether a decision was right or wrong on the facts. The key question is whether the decision was made fairly, within the law and in the correct way.
Judicial review is often used where decisions affect education, housing, care, immigration status or employment, and where there is no suitable alternative way to challenge the issue.
Strict time limits may apply and delay can affect whether a claim can proceed. Seeking early legal advice can help you understand your options and act in time.
Choosing the right solicitor can make a significant difference, particularly in urgent and complex public law matters where early action is critical.
We focus on helping individuals, families and professionals challenge decisions that are unlawful, unfair or delayed, including through judicial review where appropriate.
We act in challenging cases where decisions have immediate and serious consequences and urgent action may be needed.
Our Public Law and Human Rights team is led by Christopher White, who has extensive experience advising on complex and urgent cases involving public bodies, regulators and systemic decision-making issues.
Our focus is on resolving issues effectively through early intervention, pre-action engagement or court proceedings where necessary.
Our expertise across Education, Family and Public Law allows us to understand the wider context of each case.
We hold a Public Law Legal Aid contract and regularly act for clients who may not otherwise be able to challenge unlawful decisions.
We explain the strengths of a case, the options available and the likely next steps so you can make informed decisions.
Alongside individual cases, we work with community groups, charities and advice organisations to challenge wider systemic issues and unlawful practices.
We act across a wide range of matters where individuals, families and professionals are affected by decisions that are unfair, delayed or made without proper legal basis. Where appropriate, this includes judicial review.
Our work includes housing and homelessness, education, community care, immigration and detention, healthcare decisions, professional regulation and wider human rights issues. We also act in planning and accommodation disputes, cases involving Gypsy and Traveller communities, and strategic challenges addressing wider systemic failures by public bodies.
Advising and acting in challenges where legal duties have not been followed or decisions have been made unlawfully.
Supporting children, young people and families where decisions about education and support have not been made properly.
Advising where vulnerable adults, children or families are not receiving the care or support they are entitled to.
Acting in public law challenges involving immigration and asylum decisions where the issue is the lawfulness or fairness of the decision-making process.
Supporting professionals and individuals where decisions affect their career, reputation and ability to work.
Advising where public body decisions interfere with fundamental rights.
Supporting families in cases involving deaths where public authorities may have been involved.
These cases can involve individual challenges or wider issues affecting groups of people, particularly where public bodies have failed to act lawfully or fairly over time.
Our team can assess what has happened, explain your rights, identify the correct legal route and advise on any urgent time limits.
You should seek advice as soon as possible if:
Public law matters are often time-sensitive. In many cases, judicial review claims must usually be brought promptly and within three months.
Some situations have shorter deadlines, and delay can affect whether a case can proceed.
Even where you are unsure whether a decision can be challenged, early advice can help you understand where you stand and what options may be available.
We understand that cost is an important consideration when deciding whether to challenge a decision, particularly where the situation is already difficult or uncertain.
Watkins Solicitors holds a Public Law Legal Aid contract and can advise whether legal aid may be available based on your circumstances and the type of case.
We will guide you through the process clearly so you understand what support may be available.
Where legal aid is not available, we will provide clear advice about funding options and likely costs from the outset.
This allows you to make informed decisions with confidence and avoid unexpected surprises.
We provide clear, practical support from the first conversation through to resolution.
We listen to what has happened and identify the immediate issue affecting you or your family.
We consider the public body’s decision, the process followed and the available evidence.
We explain whether judicial review, an appeal, tribunal or another route may be appropriate.
We advise on Legal Aid eligibility or other funding options where relevant.
Where appropriate, we engage with the public body and seek a practical resolution without delay.
If necessary, we advise on pre-action steps and court proceedings focused on achieving an effective outcome.
Our Public Law and Human Rights team supports individuals, families and professionals across England in situations where decisions have caused real impact or concern.
We are widely recognised for specialist expertise and for acting in complex and often urgent cases where early action is critical.
Our approach is clear, practical and responsive, helping you understand your position, your options and what can be done next.
We understand that public law and human rights matters can feel uncertain and time-sensitive.
We will take the time to understand your situation and give you clear, honest advice about what can be done next.
You will have an approachable team focused on achieving the best possible outcome for you.
Select any question below to read the answer. More than one answer can remain open at the same time.
Yes, in many cases. Decisions made by local authorities, government departments and other public bodies can be challenged where they are unlawful, unfair or not made properly. The key issue is not simply whether the decision feels wrong, but whether there is a legal basis to challenge how it was made.
Public law is the area of law that deals with how public bodies make decisions. Judicial review is the legal process used to challenge those decisions where they have not been made lawfully or fairly. We can advise you on whether judicial review or another route is the most appropriate option in your situation.
Time limits are strict. In many cases, a claim must be brought promptly and within three months of the decision, although some types of cases have shorter deadlines. Delay can affect whether your case can proceed, so it is important to seek advice as soon as possible.
A wide range of decisions can be challenged, including those relating to education, social care, housing, immigration, healthcare, professional regulation and DBS disclosures. The key question is whether the public body acted lawfully in making the decision.
No. An appeal usually looks at whether a decision was right or wrong. Judicial review looks at whether the decision was made properly and in line with the law. In some cases, an appeal or tribunal may be the correct route, and we can help you identify the most appropriate approach.
Not always. Many cases are resolved before reaching a full court hearing, particularly where early legal action leads to the public body reconsidering or correcting its decision. Our focus is always on resolving matters as efficiently and effectively as possible.
In some cases, yes. Legal aid may be available depending on the type of case and your financial circumstances. Watkins Solicitors holds a Public Law Legal Aid contract and can advise you on whether you may be eligible and guide you through the process.
Public law claims are mainly about correcting unlawful decisions rather than awarding compensation. In some situations, a separate claim for damages may be possible, depending on the circumstances. We can advise you on whether this applies in your case.
If you are dealing with a decision made by a local authority, government department, regulator or another public body, our team can help you understand your rights, options and any urgent time limits.
We advise individuals, families and professionals across England.
Read verified reviews from people who have used Watkins Solicitors.