Who? Richard Langley, senior partner, Broadfield UK, London.
Why is he in the news? The firm represented the West Dulwich Action Group in a legal challenge against Lambeth Council over the introduction of a low traffic neighbourhood (LTN). The High Court found the council acted unlawfully in introducing an LTN.
Thoughts on the case: ‘This was a classic case of a local council appearing hard set on a course of action and not engaging with those who were opposed to it. The judge said that a passage in one of the officer reports was a “masterclass in selective partial reporting”.
‘The council came a cropper because our clients had delivered what the judge described as an “impressive” and “comprehensive” 53-page presentation setting out why it should not press on with the scheme – and yet the council decided to go ahead with it without even considering the presentation.
‘Legal challenges like this can be an uphill struggle. It is difficult to persuade the court that a consultation exercise has gone so badly wrong as to render it unlawful, so it was really heartening to see that the efforts our clients had made to engage with the council were vindicated in the end.’
Lambeth Council deputy leader Rezina Chowdhury said: ‘The court has allowed the claim against the West Dulwich street improvements on one of the three grounds of challenge, and dismissed the other two. We acknowledge the court’s decision and are carefully considering the implications of this judgment; we will provide further updates in due course. The current trial scheme in West Dulwich will remain in place in the meantime, while we await further directions from the court.’
Dealing with the media: ‘The West Dulwich Action Group have done a superb job in handling the media. There was coverage in the press and broadcast media on the day of the hearing and then the result was featured on BBC News and in the Times, Daily Telegraph and the Standard as well as local media. The team were really resourceful and innovative in getting the message out there – even using AI to generate a podcast interview covering why the council needed to properly engage in consultation with its local residents and businesses.’
Why become a lawyer? ‘I couldn’t think of anything better to do. But from day one as a trainee in litigation, I realised that I was in my element. I am now senior partner at the same firm over 30 years later and find it as rewarding and interesting as ever.’
Career high: ‘In December 2024, what was then BDB Pitmans became the founding member of a new international law firm called Broadfield, with the aim of disrupting the mid-market. It is really exciting to see our ambitious growth plans already starting to take shape.’
No comments yet