Claudia Hyde

Public and Administrative

Claudia is building a broad public and administrative law practice. She has particular interest and expertise in matters concerning the Human Rights 1998, Equality Act 2010 and the UK’s obligations under international law, drawing upon her experience working at several domestic and international human rights NGOs:

• Human rights and civil liberties: Claudia regularly advises on matters raising issues under the Human Rights Act 1998 and has experience of advising on and conducting litigation under Articles 2, 3, 4, 8, 11, 14 and A1P1. She co-authored the chapters on Articles 3 and 4 in ‘The Law and Practice of Human Rights’, and writes headnotes for European Human Rights Reports. Before pupillage, Claudia volunteered in the Advice and Information Team at Liberty and was a researcher for a best-selling human rights book.
• Public inquiries and inquests: Claudia is a sought-after junior in public inquiry and inquest work. She acts as junior counsel to the Lampard Inquiry, an independent statutory inquiry investigating the deaths of mental health inpatients in Essex between 2000 and 2023. She previously acted as junior counsel, alongside Harriet Wakeman, to David Blundell KC in the Cranston Inquiry, and has been instructed in litigation arising out of public inquiry reports. During pupillage, Claudia gained experience in public inquiry work through her supervisor Christopher Jacobs in the Post Office/Horizon IT Inquiry. She also has a keen interest in coronial law and has been instructed to act for interested parties in both Middleton and Jamieson inquests.
• Immigration and asylum: Claudia has a keen interest in protection claims and claims under the Refugee Convention, holding a Master’s Degree in Public International Law. She has acted in both the First-tier and Upper Tribunal in immigration and asylum appeals, raising matters including humanitarian protection, human rights and foreign national offenders, as well as age assessment cases and cases concerning victims of trafficking. She was formerly a Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal where she worked on several appeals and permission to appeal applications concerning immigration law, such as MI (Pakistan) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2021] EWCA Civ 1711, a case concerning the proper interpretation of the “unduly harsh” test in section 117C of the Immigration Act 2014, and Secretary of State for the Home Department v RM (Pakistan) [2021] EWCA Civ 1754,  a claim based on derivative rights to remain in the UK under Regulation 16(5)(c) of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016.
• Education: Claudia accepts instructions in all aspects of education law. She has successfully represented appellants and respondents in Special Educational Needs and Disability appeals in the First-Tier Tribunal. Other recent instructions include advising school leaders and governing bodies on academisation; acting in high-profile judicial review litigation concerning the Secretary of State’s powers to remove the designation of higher education courses for the purposes of student loan eligibility; and advising on limitation issues in educational discrimination claims under the Equality Act 2010.
• Public international law: Claudia has advised several government departments on the interpretation of and the UK’s compliance with international legal instruments. During pupillage, Claudia gained experience in matters involving international human rights, maritime and environmental law. Her previous work experience includes providing legal analysis for a genocide prevention charity and interning at an international human rights charity that supports survivors of torture.
• Community care: Claudia has advised on matters concerning the discharge of duties under the Care Act 2014 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. While at the Court of Appeal, Claudia worked on one of the leading cases concerning the scope of the section 18 duty to provide care and support in relation to assessed needs at both the permission and hearing stages (R (on the application of BG & Anor) v Suffolk County Council [2022] EWCA Civ 1047).
• Social security: Claudia acts for appellants, often on a pro bono basis, in social security appeals and is currently instructed, alongside Matthew Fraser, on a significant Upper Tribunal appeal concerning the interpretation of the Personal Independence Payment Regulations. She served for five years on the board of trustees of an advice charity in South-East London, having previously volunteered, where she advised clients on Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments applications and appeals.

Planning

Claudia is building a practice across public, planning and environmental law, and regularly acts on behalf of community groups, developers, local authorities and central government in all aspects of planning and environmental law.

Notable recent instructions include:

• Drafting statements of facts and grounds on behalf of environmental, heritage and planning interest groups and community groups in planning judicial reviews.
• Assisting in drafting Summary Grounds of Resistance in London Borough of Southwark v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government & Anor [2025] EWHC 1556 (Admin), a notable recent case concerning the interpretation of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertising) (England) Regulations 2007 and the application of section 72 of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.
• Advising a landowner on strategy for negotiations of a section 106 “burden sharing” agreement in relation to a major music festival.
• Advising a community group on potential grounds for statutory review of an Inspector’s decision granting permission for a major hospital development on a highly ecologically sensitive site in Dorset.
• Advising a community group on grounds to oppose an application for a Certificate of Lawful Existing Use or Development for a houseboat in an area of high flood risk. The advice was accepted by the planning committee, and Claudia was instructed to make further submissions on appeal.

Prior to qualifying as a barrister, Claudia had a successful career in public affairs, specialising in political consulting, influencing and policy development in local and regional government. She advised clients including FTSE-100 listed property developers and renewable energy companies on the political, reputational and policy aspects of securing planning permission.

During pupillage, Claudia assisted her supervisors Richard Turney KC, Sasha Blackmore KC and other senior members of Chambers with a wide range of planning, infrastructure and environment matters including:

• Acting for developers in planning inquiries and appeal hearings concerning major residential and mixed-use developments, including assisting with the preparation of proofs of evidence and drafting opening and closing statements, covering matters such as planning, design, conservation, heritage, flooding and landscape and visual impact.
• Advising on planning and environmental matters, including Biodiversity Net Gain requirements introduced by the Environment Act 2021, procedure for making representations at local plan examinations and the meaning of “in-use buildings” for the purposes of the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010.
• Preparing expert witnesses for the promoting authority in the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme CPO inquiry, a major proposal to create a new stream with a wetland wildlife corridor to the west of Oxford to reduce flood risk in the city and surrounding areas.

Claudia is a headnote editor for the Journal of Planning and Environment Law and is able to advise on the implications of significant planning judgments.

Environment

Claudia is developing a varied practice covering all aspects of environmental law. Her recent experience has included:

• Advising a community group on grounds to oppose an application for a Certificate of Lawful Existing Use or Development for a houseboat in an area of high flood risk.
• Successfully representing the appellant, drafting submissions and acting as sole counsel in Cawthorne v Information Commissioner [2024] UKFTT 00978 (GRC), a high-profile appeal against a local authority’s refusal of a request for information relating to chemical testing under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
• Advising a government department on the UK’s compliance with the draft provisions of a forthcoming international environmental treaty.
• Advising a community group on potential grounds for statutory review of an Inspector’s decision granting planning permission for a major development in a highly sensitive area located in close proximity to several SSSIs.
• Advising a renewable energy producer on the interpretation and application of the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme Regulations 2018.

During pupillage, Claudia was supervised by Richard Turney KC and Sasha Blackmore KC. She assisted with advice on Biodiversity Net Gain requirements, Habitats Regulations Assessment issues, SEA and EIA issues, the powers of the Forestry Commission to issue restocking notices and environment and climate-change related judicial review applications.

Claudia is a member of the Planning and Environmental Bar Association (PEBA) and the United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA).

Property

Claudia appears in the County Court in possession proceedings and related matters.

During pupillage, Claudia was supervised by Camilla Lamont. She gained experience in a range of matters, including:

• Landlord and tenant: assisting in preparing for a trial of a contentious matter under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954; advising on a prospective claim for breach of a covenant for peaceful enjoyment of subject property and remedies; advising on a prospective claim for terminal dilapidations.
• Real property: advising on strategy and prospects of success for applications to discharge and modify restrictive covenants under section 84(1) of the Law of Property Act 1925, as well as advising on matters relating to easements, adverse possession and proprietary estoppel.
• Residential property: assisting with an appeal to the Upper Tribunal brought under section 27A of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985; drafting a defence to a claim for an easement by prescription over residential land.

Local Government

With a strong track record of advising and representing local authorities, we offer expert legal support across a diverse range of areas and issues. Recognised for our clear, pragmatic legal guidance and strong advocacy, we are well-placed to support local government bodies in meeting complex and evolving challenges.

Cross-practice

Landmark's barristers often work at the intersection of our core practice areas; bringing a wide range of skills, knowledge and experience to bear on a particular dispute or issue facing a client.

Our focus is always on achieving the best possible outcome for our client. By viewing the client's objectives in a holistic way - and not purely through the lens of one rigidly-defined legal area - we deliver the best possible advice and representation in complex matters that engage multiple specialist areas of law. 

Whether it's providing support as an individual cross-practice barrister or a cross-disciplinary team of Landmark counsel, we are able to draw on an outstanding array of complementary skillsets and knowledge bases. This often achieves a better result than instructing multiple barristers from different specialist sets. This also improves the quality of client care through increased levels of communication, quicker response times, and a coordinated approach to clerking and fees, made possible by our team-based cross-practice approach.

Please contact our practice management team for more information.

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