Groups, NGOs and organisations

Leigh Day & Co have considerable expertise in working with organisations in advising on the role that litigation can play in furthering objectives, work and campaigns.

We are leaders in our field in Public Law, Human Rights and Civil Liberties with a proven track record of representing organisations in high profile legal challenges.  Recent cases have included: 

• the challenge to the Serious Fraud Office decision to drop the investigation into BAE Systems
• working with Reprieve to investigation extraordinary rendition and in representing a Guantanamo detainee in case against the UK Government
• representing the RSPCA in a challenge to the Animal Slaughter Regulations
• bringing a case against BAE in relation to spying
  
  Whether you are an established charity or non-governmental organisation, or whether you are an unincorporated association or single issue action group, we pride ourselves on having unrivalled expertise in enabling you to access the Court process to further your aims.  We advise and represent a wide range of organisations from national charities to local community groups.
  
  A strong litigation strategy can be of enormous benefit to the long and short term campaigning objectives of organisations.  Whether this is:
   
• challenging a particular policy or decision of a public authority;
• intervening in high profile or important Court cases which raise issues of particular interest to your organisation; or
• representing individuals in need who fall within a particular organisation’s campaigning constituency.
  
  We are happy to meet and advise all types of groups and campaigning organisations to discuss how best to further your objectives.  With many of our organisational clients we maintain an ongoing relationship and advise formally or informally as and when issues arise.
  
  We have strong relationships with the media and, where appropriate, work closely with our clients to ensure the maximum possible positive media coverage. 
  
  Whatever the financial means available to your organisation we are dedicated to exploring every possibility to enable you to access the Courts. 
  
  We are keenly aware that a significant bar to accessing justice for many organisations is the prohibitive cost of litigation which entails not only funding your own legal costs but potentially having to pay the costs of the other party if your case does not succeed. The overall costs risk can often run into many tens of thousands of pounds.
  
  We are probably the pre-eminent experts in litigation funding and costs protection for claimants in the public law field.   We have been and remain at the forefront of this developing area.
  
  We represented Corner House Research in their ground breaking case which affirmed the Court’s commitment to Protective Costs Orders in cases where matters of wider public interest are raised. Richard Stein is a member of the Working Group on Access to Environmental Justice which produced the report entitled Ensuring access to environmental justice in England & Wales – more commonly known as the Sullivan Report. The report makes many recommendations about accessing environmental justice in the UK in the light of the UK’s obligations under the Aarhus Convention.
  
  Where litigation may be appropriate for your organisation, we will investigate with you the options available to enable you to have practical access to the Courts with the minimum costs risks.   In particular, our lawyers will be able to discuss with you arranging:
   
• a free consultation to discuss how a litigation strategy may be of assistance to your organisation
• conditional fee (CFA) arrangements, whereby you will be liable to us for reduced or no costs if a legal case is unsuccessful
• Protective Costs Orders to limit or extinguish your exposure to the defendant public authority’s costs where a case is lost
• After the event insurance to cover your exposure to the defendant public authority’s costs where a case is lost
• Legal aid to represent individuals whose interests are supported by your organisation
• An ongoing relationship between Leigh Day & Co and your organisation
  
  Our lawyers will investigate with you the possibilities available to your organisation and will endeavour to help you develop a litigation strategy and put together a package which enables you to bring a particular issue to Court.
  
  If you have an enquiry about a potential case or developing an ongoing relationship with Leigh Day & Co, then please contact one of the team.

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