Public Law Project Annual Conference 2025

Public Law Project Annual Conference 2025:
Strengthening the constitution

PLP’s conference returns for a day of expert analysis, insight, and forward-looking discussion on strengthening the constitution.

Presented in partnership with Blackstone Chambers and Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, this event examines whether our constitutional frameworks are robust enough to face contemporary challenges, including the global rise in authoritarianism.

Our 22nd annual conference – formerly known as ‘Judicial Review Trends and Forecasts’ – brings together leading voices to explore how government, civil society, and the legal sector can collaborate to strengthen constitutional resilience during times of global political and economic instability.

Date: Wednesday 15 October

Time: 09:25-17:30

Place: HSF Kramer (Exchange House, Primrose Street, London, EC2A 2EG)

This event is in-person only and will not be recorded.

Please do book early to secure your place, as this event has always sold out well in advance in recent years!

This event is for

Practitioners involved in all aspects of public law and judicial review, including those in private practice, Government, NGOs (including policy and advocacy work), researchers and academics.

Tickets

• Standard: £295 – For those in private practice, government or regulatory bodies.
• Discounted: £230 – For NGOs, academics and researchers or those employed by universities, those under 3 years’ call, trainees and paralegals.
  For bookings of 3 or more places:
• Block booking (Standard): £265
• Block booking (Discounted): £210

Delegate pack

• We only provide electronic versions of the pack for environmental and accessibility reasons.
• If you require a printed pack for accessibility reasons, please email [email protected] to request one and give us at least one week’s notice if possible.

Devices

Please bring a fully charged device as there are limited charging points at the venue.

Accessibility

The venue is fully wheelchair accessible and all rooms have hearing loops. If you have any further accessibility requirements, please enter these on the booking form.

Lunch

All delegates will be provided with a  vegetarian lunch for environmental and simplicity reasons.

Morning chair: TBC

08:30-09:20 Registration & breakfast

09:25-09:40 Introduction and the Rule of Law scorecard

Our CEO, Shameem, introduces the conference and gives an assessment of the current Government’s commitment to upholding the Rule of law in their first year.  

• Shameem Ahmad, CEO, Public Law Project

09:40-10:00 Opening address: Promoting clarity as a constitutional virtue

• Mr Justice Chamberlain

10:00-10:20 The Hillsborough Law and justice through inquiries

• Marcia Willis Stewart KC (Hon)

10:20-10:45 Public law research highlights from the year

• Arianne Griffith, Public Law Project
• Professor Joe Tomlinson, Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London

10:45-11:00 Break

11:00-11:45 The top 10 public law cases of the year

• Victoria Pogge von Strandmann, Public Law Project
• Nusrat Zar, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
• Daniel Cashman, Blackstone Chambers 

11:45-13:00 Morning breakouts (choose 1 of the 4)

1. Race, the state and public law

The early 2020’s seemed to herald a new dawn in recognition of the oppression and damage done by systemic and historical race discrimination. Have we seen any progress in accountability mechanisms, or the common law, to help ensure the state is anti-racist since then?  What are the limitations and enablers of using public law to challenge race discrimination?

• Kehinde Adeogun, Black Equity Organisation
• Thalia Maragh, Garden Court Chambers
• Allison Munroe KC, Garden Court Chambers
• Dr Connie Sozi, Deighton Pierce Glynn
• One more speaker TBC

2. Judicial review of the regulators

Our speakers will look at the recent use of judicial review to challenge decisions across a range of regulators.

• Andrew Lidbetter, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
• Jasveer Randhawa, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
• James Wood, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

3. Public authorities and damage liabilities

From discriminatory policing to misuse of data, the damage liabilities of public authorities is a potential route, both independent or complementary to public law, for people to seek redress, uphold their rights and hold authorities to account. Our panel explores options and relevant cases.  

• Ravi Naik, AWO
• Bharine Kalsi, Deighton Pierce Glynn
• More speakers TBC

4. Children’s rights and public law

The panel will look at current issues in children’s rights and public law, including age assessments and asylum, welfare benefits and SEND. Our speakers will also look at how enhanced provisions in Welsh Law, where due regard to the UNCRC is enshrined in primary legislation through Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011, the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018. 

• Chair: Crash Wigley, Landmark Chambers
• Dr Rhian Croke, Children’s Legal Centre Wales
• Becket Bedford, No5 Barristers’ Chambers
• Alison Reid, Clan Child Law
• Antonia Benfield, Doughty Street Chambers

13:00-14:00 Lunch

14:00-15:00 Public law and progress

Are current Government policies that drive for efficiency and economic growth, especially in the context of ongoing austerity for many, in conflict with the public law principles of accountability, protection of rights, and the Rule of Law?

• Chair: Jonathan Senker, Chair of the Board, Public Law Project
• Ravi Mehta, Blackstone Chambers
• Christine Iacono, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
• More speakers TBC

15:00-16:15 Afternoon breakouts (choose one 1 of the 4)

5. International law in judicial review

This session will look at the current use of international law in judicial review, including challenges to UK arms exports. It will also look at the role of unincorporated treaties and their effect on the interpretation of convention rights.  

• Chair: Hanif Mussa KC, Blackstone Chambers
• Monica Feria-Tinta, Twenty Essex 
• Daniel Carey, Deighton Pierce Glynn 
• Yasmine Ahmed, Human Rights Watch 
• One more speaker TBC

6. Policy formation and implementation: A Rule of Law perspective

From appropriate and lawful consultation to the management of legal risk, this session looks at how the civil service and GLD advise and works with decision makers and how tensions are managed when politics meets public law in Government? We’ll also look at examples of civil service coworking with civil society and ask how we can ensure the voices of often marginalized communities are heard in Government.

• Dr Jan van Zyl Smit, Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law
• Andrew Hood, Fieldfisher
• Indira Rao MBE, Counsel and Joint Head of Select Committee Legal Advisers, House of Commons
• More speakers TBC

7. Welfare benefits reform and public law

The Government is pursuing considerable reforms to disability benefits, reducing the income of, and imposing conditionality on, many Disabled people. Do these reforms allow the UK to meet its human rights obligations regarding social security? This session covers some recent social security reports and cases and reflects on potential areas for future consideration as the Government implements its reforms.

• Chair: Caroline Selman, Public Law Project
• Jen Clark, Amnesty UK
• Speaker TBC. Central England Law Centre
• Jesse Nicholls, Matrix Chambers
• Helen Flynn, Just Fair

8. Immigration policy: What’s next?

Our expert panel considers legal and policy developments in asylum and immigration law in the context of fairness, access to justice, human rights and its impact on those seeking protection in the UK. Is it any better in 2025 and what is coming next?

• Chair: Rakesh Singh, Public Law Project
• Rachel Jones, Blackstone Chambers
• Fawzia Amini, Leigh Day
• Zoe Bantleman, Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA)
• One more speaker TBC

16:30-17:30 Authoritarianism and constitutional challenges

This session will explore if our constitutional balance would hold in the face of future challenges – such as those being seen acutely in other jurisdictions – where justice systems must contest with the rise of authoritarianism and attacks from politicians, and sometimes, the media. The panel will also look at what actions we can take to strengthen our constitution. 

• Sarah Sackman KC MP, The Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services 
• Charlotte Kilroy KC, Blackstone Chambers 
• Professor Tarun Khaitan, LSE Law School
• More speakers TBC

17:30 Closing remarks followed by drinks reception