Joseph Lavery

Joseph accepts instructions from individuals, corporations, NGOs, local and central government, and a range of other public authorities in all aspects of public law.

As a pupil Joseph worked on public law across the field, including both domestic and ECtHR proceedings, on issues consultation challenges, rationality, Convention challenges, jurisdictional issues, and statutory interpretation. He instructed by the MOD on the Covid-19 inquiry in relation to Module 5: Procurement.

In his previous role as Judicial Assistant to the Master of the Rolls, Joseph worked on high profile public law cases including:

• R (EOG) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2022] EWCA Civ 307 (on the compliance of the Secretary of State’s policy on victims of human trafficking with international obligations).
• R (Counsel General for Wales) v Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy [2022] EWCA Civ 118 (on the legislative competence of the Senedd).
• R (CN) v Secretary of State for Health and Social Care [2022] EWCA Civ 86 (on the exclusion of hepatitis B sufferers from the Infected Blood Support Scheme).

Joseph has a particular interest in matters relating to devolution, having worked on devolution issues throughout his academic and professional career.

Joseph accepts instructions in data protection and information matters including under the UK GDPR/Data Protection Act 2018, Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

Joseph’s recent work in this field as a pupil includes:

• An upper tribunal appeal on the meaning of “personal data” for the purposes of the data protection legislation (assisting Rupert Paines).
• An upper tribunal appeal concerning the disclosure of information under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (assisting Rupert Paines).

Joseph accepts instructions from economic operators and authorities. During his pupillage, supervised by Rupert Paines, Joseph gained experience in a range of procurement matters including:

• A claim by an unsuccessful tenderer that the contracting authority had failed to request supplemental information clarifying the tender.
• A challenge to the direct award of a contract for the provision of technology services for GP practices.

Joseph is instructed by the MOD on the Covid-19 Inquiry in relation to Module 5: Procurement, and has a detailed understanding of MOD procurement practice.

Joseph accepts instructions in a wide range of education-related matters, including judicial review proceedings and discrimination claims, from local authorities, schools, universities, parents, students and education campaigners.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Joseph worked as a paralegal at a law firm specialising in special educational needs law and has extensive knowledge in the area.

Joseph accepts instructions across the full range of statutory and commercial employment law matters.

Joseph’s recent work in this field as a pupil includes:

• A disability discrimination claim brought by a former employee who was made redundant.
• A jurisdiction challenge in proceedings concerning a multi-jurisdictional conspiracy claim relating to multiple unlawful team moves in the insurance and reinsurance sector (assisting Rupert Paines).

An arbitration concerning breach of contract in the high-frequency trading sector (assisting Rupert Paines).