Ricardo Gama
Partner
Ricardo specialises in judicial review claims, in particular on environmental issues.
Ricardo is a partner in the human rights and public law department of Leigh Day. He challenges government and public body decisions on environmental and human rights issues, including in particular trans rights.
He has a very strong background in planning law. Before joining the firm 2021, Ricardo worked at Richard Buxton Environmental and Public Law, after several years as a planning lawyer and founding associate of Town Legal LLP, a leading planning firm.
Recent cases include:
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Acting for River Action and Coalition Against Factory Farming in cases relating to intensive agriculture units, whether manure should be treated as waste in legal terms, and the Environment Agency’s approach to manure spreading on farmland.
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Acting for River Action and Wild Justice in cases relating to the lack of regulation of sewage discharges.
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Acting for Trans Lucent and Good Law Project in cases challenging the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s approach to trans inclusion following the Supreme Court judgment in For Women Scotland.
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Acting for Wild Justice in various challenges to the government’s approach to gamebird releases, grazing on Dartmoor and badger culling.
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Acting in greenwashing cases concerning the meat and dairy, and farming lobbies.
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Acting in challenges to the approval of plans for the expansion of Bristol, Luton and City airports.
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Acting in a challenge to the government’s plan for decarbonising aviation, the Jet Zero Strategy, without any demand management measures.
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Acting in various challenges to waste incinerators.
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Acting for Rights: Community: Action in challenges to the government’s policy on energy efficiency standards in new homes.
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Acting in many planning cases challenging grants of planning permission in urban areas and in the green belt.”
What the directories say
Ricardo is an outstanding lawyer. He has extremely good client skills and thorough knowledge of his specialist areas.
Chambers & Partners 2026
What the directories say
- "Ricardo is a joy to work with. He is incredibly bright and always takes the time to explain complex legal arguments so that we can understand our options. We trust his decisions implicitly." - Chambers & Partners 2026
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"Ricky is a real expert in planning and environment law, with a great strategic instinct. He provides very clear and client-focused advice, with an entrepreneurial and results-driven approach." - Chambers & Partners 2026
What the people say
Ricardo has shown himself to be a top environmental claimant lawyer. His energy, enthusiasm and passion for innovation in environmental law is obvious.
Chambers and partners 2025
Accreditations
Chambers and Partners 2026
News and blogs
Wild Justice wins High Court challenge, with court ruling that Dartmoor commons have been mismanaged
The High Court has ruled that Dartmoor commons have been mismanaged by Dartmoor Commoners’ Council (DCC), which did nothing to assess or prevent overgrazing resulting in the deterioration of important wildlife areas.
Legal challenge opposes eviction of popular north London cafe operators
A judicial review claim has been filed at the High Court opposing the City of London Corporation’s decision to end the tenancies of three popular cafes in north London.
High Court hearing for legal challenge opposing demolition of Bastion House and Museum of London
A legal challenge opposing the demolition of the historic Bastion House and Museum of London buildings in the Barbican area of London will be heard in the High Court this week.