Manchester human rights lawyers at Leigh Day share in public law award win

The legal directory has named the public law team at Leigh Day the Administrative Public Law Team of the Year.

The award recognises the team’s work representing individuals and campaign groups, such as NGOs and charities, across a range of domestic and international public law claims.  

The team is made up of solicitors from across Leigh Day’s offices, including partners Stephanie Hill and Ryan Bradshaw who lead the Manchester human rights department. 

Stephanie has a wide-ranging public law practice and previously represented a community group in the Supreme Court challenging a grant of planning permission on public recreation ground.  

Stephanie’s particular focus has been migrants’ rights, and last year she settled a claim against the UK government on behalf of Yorkshire based fishermen who were recognised as victims of modern slavery, having been subjected to abject conditions working on fishing boats. 

Last year, Stephanie also acted on behalf of Asylum Aid, representing the charity in its judicial review challenging the Home Office’s ‘Safety of Rwanda’ guidance, arguing that the policy unlawfully instructed decision makers to ignore compelling evidence of risk to individuals. The current Home Secretary has since withdrawn the guidance. 

In 2024, Ryan’s work included acting on behalf of a former Spanish embassy employee who alleges she was racially discriminated, with the High Court rejecting a legal bid from the Kingdom of Spain for state immunity. The case has since led to a ruling which could result in a change to UK law. 

In Greater Manchester, Ryan represents disability campaigners who have appealed to Andy Burnham as part of a campaign to remove obstructing barriers on public pathways. 

Ryan has also been instructed by the Traveller Movement to bring a complaint against Greater Manchester Police over allegations of racial profiling and excessive force on children as young as 10, following an incident at the Manchester Christmas Markets.  

The public law team at Leigh Day is headed up by partners Jamie Beagent and Tessa Gregory, with the team acting in a range of human rights and environment public law cases.  

These cases include a landmark Supreme Court judgment which has helped bring victory to campaigners fighting fossil fuel extraction developments, and representing Tamil Sri Lankan asylum seekers who were unlawfully detained on the island of Diego Garcia for more than three years.  

Leigh Day partner Stephanie Hill said: 

“It is fantastic to see the public law team’s efforts recognised by Chambers and Partners UK. We are immensely proud of the varied and important work that our team have undertaken throughout 2024, and the contributions made to this effort by members of the team in our Manchester office.”