Nationally-recognised experts in regulatory issues from public law and inquests to education law
3PB's public and regulatory team are nationally recognised experts, prosecuting and defending matters brought by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Health and Safety Executive, British Horseracing Authority, Care Quality Commission, local authorities and other regulatory bodies.
We have advised on issues such as trading standards, marine collisions, fisheries, animal welfare, education, consumer protection and food safety.
Members of the team advise on a broad spectrum of licensing law: premises licences, taxi licences, firearms, alcohol, entertainment, gambling and road haulage.
As the importance of public and administrative law has increased and the scope of regulatory legislation expanded, so 3PB's expertise has continued to expand to meet the new challenges presented. We advise individuals challenging government or regulators as well as representing government departments (including the Official Solicitor), local authorities, the NHS and Police Authorities.
Members of our sub-teams are specialists in their areas and have handled ground breaking cases concerning police powers, access to medical treatment, access to special needs education and sports disciplinary cases.
Our barristers bring a recognised depth of expert knowledge and formidable advocacy skills, drawn from long experience in courts, committees and tribunals of every level and description as well as sterling client service and exceptional work rates.
The team are available via any of our six UK centres: London, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Oxford and Winchester. We are also well equipped with the technology to facilitate virtual meetings, conferences and proceedings where required/possible.
Our Public and Regulatory Barristers...
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3PB education and public law barrister Matthew Wyard (pictured here) has succeeded in an important Upper Tribunal appeal in which the tribunal has confirmed that appeals can be brought against review decisions of the Special Educational Needs Tribunal for Wales. The decision was published yesterday 1 August. The appeal in AB v Newport City Council [2022] UKUT 190 (AAC) concerned a decision by the Special Educational Needs Tribunal for Wales (“SENTW”) to uphold Newport City...
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3PB's specialist regulatory law barrister Nicholas Cotter (pictured here) with Phil Williams, of Blackfords LLP secured a not guilty result on the eve of the trial for pub landlady Mrs. Kellie McGarry who was facing prosecution by the HSE over the death of a customer. Mrs. Kellie McGarry who ran Rosehill Tavern, where Elaine Horrocks died after falling down the cellar steps more than four years ago, was charged with failing to do business to...
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Gaia Pope went missing on 7th November 2017. Following Gaia being reported missing, searches were undertaken by Dorset Police, Her Majesty’s Coastguard, National Police Air Service, Dorset Search and Rescue and other volunteers. Gaia was found deceased on 18th November. This week the Senior Coroner for Dorset swore in a jury for this Article 2 inquest that is anticipated to last 11 weeks. This inquest will examine numerous issues including Gaia’s medical history including mental...
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3PB's specialist public and regulatory law barrister, Matthew Wyard, pictured here, has recently completed Advocates pro-bono 25 for 25 challenge. The 25 for 25 challenge encourages barristers to provide 25 hours of free legal advice to celebrate the 25 year anniversary of the pro-bono charity Advocate. Advocate said ‘‘Advocate’s anniversary initiative, 25 for 25: The Pro Bono Challenge, was conceived as a way to promote pro bono and recognise the Bar’s amazing contribution to access...
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3PB congratulates William Hansen, pictured here, on his recent authorisation to sit as a High Court Judge in the Chancery Division. His appointment will be effective from 7th March 2022 for six years. William Hansen specialises in both public and regulatory law, and property and commercial law. He has recently appeared in a series of important cases in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court and is a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel. ...
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3PB criminal and regulatory barrister Nick Cotter, pictured here, represented South Wales Safety Consultancy Ltd which was one of the defendants in a Crown Court trial, after a scaffolder was crushed to death when a church collapsed ahead of its demolition in Cardiff. This was a complex case concerning individual corporate defendants facing a range of offences and four contractors were given suspended prison sentences. Keith Young was the contractor in charge of the demolition,...
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Three of 3PB’s specialist public and regulatory law barristers: William Hansen, Matthew Wyard and Naomi Webber, successfully represented the Secretary of State for the Home Department in the decision of OA (Somalia) handed down on 2nd February 2022 following a six-day trial held in June 2021. The appeal was listed to consider whether the country guidance given in MOJ & Ors (Return to Mogadishu) Somalia CG [2014] UKUT 00442 (IAC) continued accurately to summarise the factual...
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3PB public law barrister Matthew Wyard, pictured here, recently acted in a judicial review for the claimant in R(on the application of EP, through her litigation friend MAP) v Norfolk County Council and successfully secured home to school transport for them, as well as an agreed quashing of multiple decisions refusing this support. The claimant, EP, is a disabled child with physical and mental disabilities. At secondary transfer she secured a place at T School....
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The Supreme Court has today, Wednesday 2 February 2022, given judgment refusing the claimants’ appeals in R (O and Project for the Registration of Children as British Citizens) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2022] UKSC 3, the high-profile appeal concerning the fees charged to children applying to register as British citizens. 3PB's public law and regulatory barrister William Hansen, pictured here, represented the Home Secretary. The Appellants, led by the campaigning group...
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Five barristers from 3PB’s specialist education law team recently joined forces with Oxfordshire County Council to host a SEND mock tribunal as part of a training session. Barristers Lachlan Wilson, Katherine Anderson, Matthew Wyard, Jennifer Agyekum and Naomi Webber presented the mock tribunal to over 80 attendees. 3PB’s education law team represents parents, pupils, schools, and their governing bodies (both from the maintained and the independent sectors), academies, universities and colleges, NGOs including charities, students,...
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3PB are delighted to announce that barrister, Gemma White (pictured here) has been appointed a part-time Deputy District Judge to officiate in the Magistrates Courts. Gemma was called to the bar in 2009. She specialises in crime, sports, and regulatory law, particularly across the Western Circuit. She joins an array of part-time judges and Recorders who also have busy practices at national chambers 3PB alongside their judicial roles. To instruct Gemma or contact her, please...
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3PB would like to congratulate specialist crime barristers Tom Horder (pictured right), Berenice Mulvanny (pictured second right), David Jenkins (pictured second left) and Thomas Acworth (pictured left) for recently being appointed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) approved advocates panel. Tom Horder, appointed to Grade 4 of the CPS approved panel of advocates, is frequently instructed in multi-handed murder trials, high value frauds, complex drug importations and cases involving modern slavery, trafficking and allegations of...
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Recommendations
Legal 500 2020
Regulatory, health and safety, and licensing: Members of 3PB are particularly experienced in health and safety cases, receiving both prosecution and defence instructions. Notable areas of specialism include maritime prosecutions and care home deaths, where David Richards and Nicholas Cotter are the key names to note respectively. Notable recent cases include Richards' prosecution of a yacht operator for the gross negligence manslaughter of four sailors lost at sea, and Cotter's defence of a care home after three patients died; the home was accused of negligent care following injuries sustained by the deceased upon falling out of a window.
"The combined clerks’ room across the set’s six offices is a ‘well-oiled machine’."
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