Deighton Pierce Glynn is one of the leading civil rights and judicial review law firms in the UK.
Operating from offices in London and Bristol, we have ten core areas of practice detailed on the expertise pages of this website. Our staff are some of the very best people in the UK working in those practice areas. We are adept at conducting high-profile test cases and related campaigning work for individuals and organisations. We are equally committed to conducting less high-profile but no less important work for our clients, including cases which are highly confidential. We have acted in numerous leading cases up to and including the Supreme Court as well as the European Court of Human Rights.
Offering a high level of client care is an essential part of how we work. We are renowned for our commitment to our clients and for our skilful and determined use of the law to achieve their objectives. As a result, we receive excellent client feedback, so much so that most of our work now comes from word-of-mouth referrals whether from former clients, the NGOs and charities we work with, or from other lawyers.
Our reputation for excellence was highlighted in The Times Best Law Firms 2024 (for Administrative and Public Law and Human Rights) and is recognised year-on-year by the Chambers and Legal 500 independent directories who obtain confidential feedback from our clients, those with whom we work, and our opponents. For example:
Chambers Legal Directory, 2024
Administrative & Public Law – UK-wide: “Frequently involved in bringing high-profile challenges to the UK government’s domestic and foreign policy on behalf of claimants. Notable emphasis on public law cases that intersect with equality, human rights and EU law. Has achieved significant results on behalf of victims of trafficking, immigration detainees and individuals affected by cuts to welfare benefits. Also acts on behalf of disability campaign groups to challenge cuts to healthcare access. Recent notable work includes challenges to UK surveillance policy.”
Civil Liberties & Human Rights – UK-wide: “Demonstrates a highly varied portfolio of claimant-focused work, ranging from the claiming of damages as a result of national security-related human rights infractions, to immigration detention and trafficking cases. The firm’s client base includes activists, NGOs and migrants. Offers capability in taking on cases funded by alternative sources including crowdfunding. Also handles cases and proceedings under the Equality Act concerning discrimination.”
Police Law – UK-wide: “Accomplished police actions team with a strong reputation for championing women’s rights and acting for claimants facing discrimination. Regularly acts on gendered forms of violence, such as domestic abuse. Advises on cases of deaths following police contact.”
Legal 500 Directory, 2024
Administrative and public law: “Deighton Pierce Glynn fields a team ‘that is dedicated to pursuing the rights of some of the most marginalised people’, regularly taking on the most complex, novel, and high-profile challenges to public authorities in judicial review and private law proceedings, as well as inquiries. …is a leading contact in Bristol and is regularly instructed in significant public law and procurement challenges, while London-based managing partner … regularly handles cases concerning local authorities and accessible housing. … typically litigates against public bodies before the Administrative Court in judicial review and damages claims relating to state abuses. … recently represented a victim of domestic and sexual abuse who successfully challenged a local authority’s decision to grant licences to an unlimited number of strip clubs, while … has recently represented victims of trafficking threatened with deportation to Rwanda.””
Civil liberties and human rights: “With a strong reputation for handling cases with an international aspect, Deighton Pierce Glynn fields a ‘leading team in the field of civil liberties and human rights’; the group handles a large number of complex inquests related to deaths in prison and police custody, as well as having assisting victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. … co-leads the team and has vast experience bringing Article 2 claims against prisons, while co-head … work focuses primarily on discrimination law, including police responses to domestic violence and policing of minority communities. … is also a pioneer in the field of race discrimination claims against the police, with managing partner … having recently been asked to speak at the Joint Committee on Human Rights in relation to hotel accommodation for migrants. … is highly skilled in international human rights challenges, while … has recently represented victims of trafficking threatened with deportation to Rwanda. … recently represented a victim of domestic and sexual abuse who successfully challenged a local authority’s decision to grant licences to an unlimited number of strip clubs, and … ‘is at the forefront of advancing human rights law’. … is a key new arrival from Irwin Mitchell.”
Previous Legal 500 Directory comments
Administrative and public law: “Deighton Pierce Glynn’s ‘passionate and extremely knowledgeable’ team is well known for representing individuals and charities in highly sensitive judicial reviews and inquiries, covering the government’s handling of the pandemic, Home Office policy and practices, and safeguarding issues.”
Civil liberties and human rights: “Deighton Pierce Glynn fields a ‘brilliant team of talented lawyers who have a broad and deep understanding of civil liberties and human rights claims, including administrative and civil law‘. The firm specialises in acting for detainees who have a mental or physical illness or disability, children, victims of trafficking or torture and those who have been detained for very long periods or are from a European Union state or a country where removal is difficult. Other strengths include representing families at inquests whose relatives have died in prison and police custody, securing release from detention in immigration removal centres and prisons under immigration powers, and helping victims of modern slavery.”