Rowan Smith is a public lawyer, specialising in
judicial review claims often with a focus on
human rights and the
environment.
He currently assists
Richard Stein in a range of challenges to public bodies (both local and national), including against decisions to:
grant planning permission for “fracking”; demolish a council housing estate; and cut funding for GP practices. In particular, Rowan acts for campaigning/community groups and NGOs.
Rowan joined Leigh Day in March 2016, after training in public law and human rights at Bindmans LPP. As a trainee solicitor, he worked on several successful test cases, relating to Article 10 of the ECHR and the government’s anti-terrorism powers, as well as the provision of Children Act 1998 support outside of a local authority’s area to a child traveller with Down’s Syndrome. Rowan started as a paralegal in community care law, working on behalf on unaccompanied child asylum seekers.
Before his career in law, Rowan studied Global Politics at Lancaster University and worked at various charities in Manchester, supporting victims of crime and refugee communities.