Work that tests whether public bodies and officials have complied with rights protected by the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention on Human Rights, for example the rights to life, liberty, fair trial, private and family life, and freedom of expression. Solicitors draft and issue claims under section 7 of the Human Rights Act, prepare judicial review applications for the Administrative Court, seek declarations of incompatibility under section 4 or damages under section 8, compile witness and expert evidence, represent clients at hearings and inquests, and make representations to bodies such as the Equality and Human Rights Commission or ombudsmen. Cases frequently involve cross‑reference to statutory duties, policy decisions and contemporaneous public records.
Where a solicitor protects your position
A solicitor protects decisive procedural steps by identifying and issuing the correct remedy—for example a section 7 Human Rights Act claim or a judicial review and applying for interim relief such as an injunction or interim declaration. They draft pleadings and witness statements, manage expert evidence, and conduct advocacy in the Administrative Court, tribunals and inquests to preserve remedies including declarations, damages or orders quashing unlawful decisions.
