John Halford
Partner
Human rights and public law
John acts for individuals and groups to challenge discrimination, human rights breaches and abuse of power. He has experience of bringing cases against a wide range of public bodies and organisations, and of advising national charities, NGOs, campaigning groups and regulators. In 2007 he won the prestigious Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Award for social and welfare law.
Case history – recent highlights:
- R (Harris) v London Borough of Haringey:
A successful challenge by a member of an action group which exposed planning decisions on a multi million pound development being taken without proper regard to equality of opportunity for the local community. - R (Morris, E and T) v Chief Constable of Kent Police
A judicial review of the £5.3 million policing operation which imposed a cordon around the Kingsnorth Climate Change Camp. Multiple stops and searches the took place under section 1 of PACE were shown to be unlawful and a breach of protestors’; Article 8, 10n and 11 rights. - R (LH) v Chief Constable of Staffordshire;
A successful challenge to the unlawful retention of a child’s DNA. - R (E) v JFS;
The final case to be heard in the House of Lords and the first in the new Supreme Court; established that a school’s admission’s policy unlawfully discriminated on grounds of ethnic origins. - R (Eisai) v National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence:The first judicial review of NICE’s guidance to the NHS. John acted for the Alzheimer’s Society, whose discrimination law arguments “won the day” according to the Judge.
- R (Bradley and others) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions:
The first challenge of a government department’s rejection of an Ombudsman report. The Minister’s decision was found unlawful and “irrational” by the High Court.
Secretary of State for Defence v Elias:
A successful challenge to a racially discriminatory MoD policy which had denied compensation to over 1,000 British people held in Japanese concentration camps during World War II.
Other cases have challenged: the decision to turn back protestors from an anti war demonstration; the withdrawal of revenue funding from the UK’s leading Black theatre company; a council’s 'children with a disability team' for failing to provide adequate respite care; a local education authority, for banning a teacher from working; the Benefits Agency, for delaying income support payments; MI6, for refusing access to secret files; and social services and housing departments for withholding services. John has also brought a number of cases about health service provision and regulation, including withholding the cancer drug Herceptin.
John is a board and management committee member of the Public Law Project and is the Law Society’s nominee on Legal Services Commission's Public Interest Advisory Panel. He has also served on two Law Society committees (Mental Health and Disability and Immigration) and on the Law Centres Federation Executive. John regularly trains others on public law.
John is co-author of Health Services Law & Practice (Butterworths 2001), co-author of the Legal Action Group’s Health Law series of articles, and has written on public law issues for a range of publications, including Judicial Review and Overseas Student Advisor.
John graduated Essex University and has a Masters degree from Southampton University, where he was also awarded the Law Faculty’s Sally Kiff Prize for Outstanding Work on Human Rights Issues.
What the professional directories say
John is ranked joint first nationally in the Human rights, Administrative and claimant Public Law work categories by Chambers & Partners, which describes him as “a brilliant solicitor” who “scores with his innovative approach… takes responsibility for the direction the case takes.” It adds that clients admire his “thoroughness and technical ability.” The Legal 500 (2007/08) describes him as having “red hot talent.” 
Chambers 2010
Administrative & Public Law: Traditional Claimant (ranked as a Star performer)
Civil Liberties: Best of the UK (Ranked in Band 1)
Professional Discipline - Best of the UK (Ranked in Band 4)
John's full profile and ranking status on Chambers 2010
Chambers 2009
Administrative & Public Law: Traditional Claimant (ranked as a Star performer)
Civil Liberties: Best of the UK (Ranked in Band 1)
Professional Discipline - Best of the UK (Ranked in Band 4)
Legal 500 (2009)
Administrative & public law: ranked in 1st tier - named as a leading individual
Civil liberties and human rights: ranked in 1st tier - named as a leading individual
Healthcare: ranked in 2nd tier
Professional Discipline: ranked in 3rd tier
John's full profile in Legal 500 (2009)
