Samuel Willis

Josephine Gillingwater and Jack Steele join 11KBW as tenants | 11KBW We are delighted to announce that, upon successful completion of pupillage, Josephine Gillingwater and Jack Steele have accepted an offer of tenancy. Their tenancies are effective…

Josephine Gillingwater and Jack Steele join 11KBW as tenants.

www.11kbw.com/knowledge-ev...

For human rights scholars and court-watchers, here's a thread of some forthcoming ECHR/HRA in the UK Supreme Court's docket for the upcoming legal year (2025-26).

I think there are (at least) six cases worth keeping an eye on.

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled, 20 years after the landmark Hirst case, that an applicant prisoner's inability to vote in a UK General Election did not breach the Convention.

Hora v United Kingdom (23 September 2025): hudoc.echr.coe.int?i=001-244851

Some quick thoughts from me:

1/7

.@jamellebouie.net and I have started a weekly politics show attached on the @unclearpod.bsky.social patreon. — t.co/1C7jvpo2R1

Sort of dizzying to think about how many people are alive today because Patricia Hewitt (ban on smoking in enclosed spaces) was health secretary and because Norman Fowler (mandatory seatbelts) was transport secretary and health secretary (HIV/Aids).

@samuelwillis.bsky.social is a contributor to a new book, Public Law and the UK Supreme Court: Key Cases and Decisions, which has been published today.

www.11kbw.com/knowledge-ev...

I found the job that was arguably the pivotal stepping stone to my current job via legal twitter. When people asked me for advice looking for jobs, I used to say 'look on Twitter' – locking into a Twitter niche was such a great way to find leads and opportunities and friends...

I still miss legal twitter. Some of it can now be found on LinkedIn, but the constraints of that medium/the vibe of that site means it's just not the same.

Happy to see that our twin Routledge volumes on landmark UKSC cases are due to be released NEXT MONTH - 15 August 2025.

Public Law: www.routledge.com/Public-Law-a...

Private Law: www.routledge.com/Private-Law-...

School sanctions: powers and duties The education system of England and Wales is governed by a thicket of statutory provisions. Most of these provisions have not been subjected to litigation – educators and civil servants abide by an…

School sanctions: powers and duties administrativecourtblog.wordpress.com/2025/07/31/s...

Blog with Gabriel Tan on what constitutes a materially relevant consideration & an arguable gloss by the CA on the classic statement of the law by the SC in Friends of the Earth.

Congrats!

rated the good taste in book

Great bit of history here on the constitutional nuts and bolts of devolution

We saw it on the same day! Completely agree, will be recommending it to my friends/family

... against the tribunal's jurisdiction on justification must be rejected".
For reasons of judicial economy (and some issues about whether points were arguable in the appeal), the appeal was disposed on the basis of justification (i.e. 'even if there was interference, it was justified')

[51] of Page: "if the point [i.e. interference] were determinative of the appeal it might be necessary for the court to consider it, however unsatisfactory the manner in which it emerged. however, we need not do so because, as will appear, I believe that *even if article 9 is engaged* the appeal...

Re Higgs v Farmor's School, it's somewhat odd how at [68] Underhill LJ states that in Page v NHS the Court held "there had been an interference with his right to manifest his beliefs under article 9", citing [52]-[63] of Page, when at [51] of Page Underhill LJ says the CA did not determine the issue

Seeking views on “sufficiently crystallised” proposals will not always engage Gunning requirements for fair consultation The Court of Appeal (Underhill LJ, with whom Dingemans and Edis LJJ agreed) has rejected the proposition that, where a public authority voluntarily seeks the views of an interested party at the for…

Seeking views on “sufficiently crystallised” proposals will not always engage Gunning requirements for fair consultation administrativecourtblog.wordpress.com/2025/05/03/s...

@joanneclementkc.bsky.social and @samuelwillis.bsky.social acted in an important Court of Appeal case on Article 5 ECHR and the deprivation of liberty of children

www.11kbw.com/knowledge-ev...

The Court of Appeal explains why local authorities cannot consent to the confinement of children in their care The Court of Appeal announced on the day of the hearing of the appeal against the decision of Lieven J in Re J: Local Authority consent to Deprivation of Liberty [2024] EWHC 1690 (Fam), that it wou…

The Court of Appeal explains why local authorities cannot consent to the confinement of children in their care: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk/the-court-of...

Samuel Willis joins 11KBW as a tenant | 11KBW We are delighted to announce that, upon successful completion of pupillage, Samuel Willis has accepted an offer of tenancy, effective from 10 April 2025. Samuel…

We are delighted to announce that Samuel Willis has joined 11KBW as a tenant following successful completion of his pupillage.

www.11kbw.com/knowledge-ev...

The way it causes health damage when Kim swears at you lol

Get running with Couch to 5K - Better Health NHS Couch to 5K will help you get off the couch and gradually work you up to running 5km in just 9 weeks.

www.nhs.uk/better-healt...
Free app from the UK NHS (worked when I lived outside the UK so should be fine) — got me into running

Legal aid for victims of trafficking When must legal aid be provided to trafficking victims seeking compensation from the state relating to their ill treatment? This was the question for Calver J in R (HJK and Others) v Director of Le…

When does LASPO require the provision of legal aid for trafficking victims wishing to seek compensation?

I wrote about the answer provided in the case of R (HJK and Others) v Director of Legal Aid Casework [2025] EWHC 774 (Admin):

administrativecourtblog.wordpress.com/2025/04/01/l...

The UK grid right now.

Food options in the Docklands are so limited – it's really odd. the area around the East London Employment Tribunal has been redeveloped and is q pleasant, lots of businesses, good place to work... except for the fact there is... nowhere to get lunch...

They did, however, cite a case Fordham J cited in developing his "permission-stage principle" – Terra Services Ltd.