Public Law

As a public lawyer, James Ramsden KC has been consistently recognised as a leading practitioner. He is recommended in the Legal 500 in the area of Administrative & Public Law for making “sound and independent judgments” and for “pragmatic and solution-orientated advice”.

Astraea Group is regularly instructed in cases at the interface between commercial, regulatory and public law.

James Ramsden KC has also appeared on a number of judicial review challenges to decisions by HMRC in connection with Advance Payment Notices (APNs) and the wider pre-emptive tax collection regime. We were counsel for the claimants in the leading Court of Appeal case on the application of legitimate expectation in the context of tax legislation; R (Dickinson) v HMRC.

On 10th September 2019 James Ramsden KC was retained, alongside Quintel Intelligence, to head a team of technical and legal experts with the task of identifying and bringing to justice those who post offensive, threatening, racist, homophobic and misogynistic abuse against candidates and activists in General Elections.

 
“
James Ramsden KC is an enormously skilful courtroom litigator who is brisk and efficient. He makes his submissions with a light touch and charms the judge every time.”
— Chambers 2020