Alex Shattock

Alex is a public, planning and environmental law practitioner.

His practice is broad and includes matters involving human rights, equality, education, community care, immigration, housing, pollution, climate change and information law.

On the public law side his clients include individuals (including vulnerable children, destitute asylum seekers, migrants, homeless persons, and persons with disabilities), and public bodies such as state schools.

Alex is ranked in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for environmental law. His clients include include NGOs and campaigners such as ClientEarth, the Environmental Law Foundation, Extinction Rebellion activists, Fossil Free London, the Good Law Project, Friends of the Earth, Rights: Community: Action, the RSPB, WWF-UK, and Urban Squirrels.

On the planning side his clients include individuals, community groups, local authorities, consultants and developers. He is one of Planning Magazine’s top-rated junior barristers under 35.

Notable work includes:

Acting for the claimant in the challenge to the controversial Bibby Stockholm asylum barge. With Fiona Petersen and led by Alex Goodman KC. Reported in many media outlets. Acting for the successful claimant in R (Hough) v SSHD [2022] EWHC 1635, a planning and consultation challenge to the controversial continued use of Napier Barracks as asylum seeker accommodation. Reported in The Guardian and on the front page of the Sunday Mirror. With Charles Bishop and led by Alex Goodman KC. Acting for the claimant in R (Rights: Community: Action) v SSHCLG [2021] EWCA Civ 1954, an environmental and equalities challenge to the government’s “slum housing” permitted development reforms and Class E planning deregulation (Alex appeared in both the Court of Appeal and Divisional Court), reported in the media here, here and here. Led by Paul Brown KC. During the course of the claim, the government announced minimum space standards for permitted development homes in England. Acting for the claimant in XXX v Camden Borough Council [2020] EWCA Civ 1468, the leading Court of Appeal case on applications for anonymity orders under CPR 39.2. Led by Justin Bates.

Alex accepts direct access and pro bono instructions where appropriate. He is a legal reviewer for the charity Freedom From Torture.

Alex has a doctorate in public international law from Cambridge, as well as law degrees from Oxford and LSE. During his doctorate he researched the legality of military intervention in civil wars. His previous work experience includes teaching economics, working in a secure prison, and working at the Law Commission on its driverless cars project. In his spare time he enjoys films, video games, and Scandinavian heavy metal music.

Qualifications PhD in public international law, University of Cambridge. Supervised by Professor Christine Gray. Thesis title: The legal limits of intervention by invitation of government in civil wars. Funded by a full scholarship and maintenance grant. LLM in public international law, London School of Economics. 1st in year. BA in jurisprudence, University of Oxford. New College Scholar. Alex attended local state comprehensive schools in the Midlands. He was the first in his family to attend sixth form and the first to go to university. Alex is an alumnus of the Hague Academy of International Law, a centre for advanced international legal studies based in the Peace Palace at the Hague, Netherlands. He was the only British scholar to obtain a place on the 2014 Hague Academy public international law programme. Scholarships WM Tapp Studentship in Law, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. Full tuition and living costs paid for a 3-year PhD. Lord Denning Scholarship (major Inns of Court BPTC award), Lincoln’s Inn. Hardwicke Entrance Award, Lincoln’s Inn. New College Scholar, New College, Oxford. For distinction in law exams.

Publications

Promoting Climate Justice through International Law- A Matter for the ICJ?, BICCL’s Rising Sea Levels webinar series. The A Word: Academic Appeals in Public Law Challenges, Judicial Review. ‘Dinner Party Conversation’, European Journal of International Law. ‘Slaying the Giants’, New Statesman essay prize winner. ‘What would happen if the Queen went on a crime spree?’, Legal Cheek prize winner.