The ‘extremely strong public law practice’ at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP is headed by Andrew Lidbetter and Nusrat Zar. Praised for his ’excellent strategic judgement in litigation’, Lidbetter has extensive experience handling contentious public law matters, such as judicial reviews, regulatory disputes, and statutory appeals. Zar regularly advises claimants, defendants, and interveners across a variety of sectors, including telecoms, energy, competition, and financial services; she is also recommended for her expertise with public procurement matters. James Wood has broad capabilities that encompass judicial review, public inquiries, and policy work. Hannah Lau and Christine Iacono are also key lawyers in the team. Lau is noted for her skill with freedom of information matters, while Iacono has experience advising on matters within the planning and environment sectors.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘HSF Public Law team is comprised of very knowledgeable and highly skilled individuals. They were able to explain legal concepts in a clear and concise manner. They propose solutions that were practical and achievable.’
‘Nusrat Zar is a standout lawyer. In addition to her unparalleled legal acumen, Nusrat demonstrated professionalism and integrity throughout our interactions. She exhibited exceptional attention to detail, instilling confidence in the handling of our case.’
'Hannah Lau is excellent. She is able to get on top of complex issues really quickly and work collaboratively with the client and counsel.'
'James Wood is able to run high profile and complex litigation effectively on a day-to-day basis. He has sound instincts.'
‘Andrew Lidbetter and Nusrat Zar lead one of the leading and most experienced specialist public law teams in the city. They are backed by hard working and dedicated associates. They have an expertise across the whole range of public law with focus on commercial/regulatory matters.’
'Andrew Lidbetter has very good judgment and significant experience over many years. He has excellent strategic judgement in litigation.'
‘HSF has an extremely strong public law practice. They have an excellent reputation, which continues to meet high expectations in practice.’
'Both Andrew Lidbetter and Nusrat Zar are outstanding public law litigators. They are hugely knowledgeable in terms of the law with excellent strategic judgment and a superb understanding of the client's business and objectives in pursuing the litigation.'
Key clients
- High Speed Two Limited
- Public Law Project
- Severn Trent Water Limited
- Severn Trent Property Solutions Limited
- The Church Commissioners for England
- NNB Generation Company Limited
- Centre for Advice on Individual Rights in Europe
- AQUIND Limited
- Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited
Work highlights
- Acting for High Speed Two Limited in successfully defending a procurement claim relating to its decision to acquire 54 high speed trains.
- Acting for Severn Trent Water Limited and Severn Trent Property Solutions Limited, two of the defendants in group litigation, where the claimants allege that the defendants have withheld, restricted access to, or charged for certain information that should have been made available for free or at a lower cost.
- Acting for AQUIND Ltd in successful judicial review proceedings relating to its application to build an electric power cable between the south coast of England and France.
Lawyers
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Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Andrew Lidbetter, Nusrat Zar