Leigh Day expands human rights team in Liverpool

Leigh Day, a prominent UK law firm, is extending its human rights services in the North by expanding its Liverpool office. This move will enable the firm to provide legal aid-funded representation for inquests and claims against public authorities, particularly benefiting bereaved families in need of legal support. The new Liverpool human rights team will be led by partner Leanne Devine, who has a long history of representing families in high-profile inquests, including those related to the Hillsborough disaster.

Devine, who joined Leigh Day in 2023, brings extensive experience in handling Article 2 inquests, which address deaths involving public authorities. Her focus includes cases involving mental health-related deaths, deaths in police custody, and incidents of domestic abuse. Her work will now be supported by a legal aid contract, ensuring more families can access legal representation for inquests, especially in cases where the state’s role in the death is questioned.

Leigh Day's expansion into Liverpool is part of a broader strategy to enhance access to justice across the UK. The firm's human rights department, one of the first to be established in the UK after the Human Rights Act of 1998, has already expanded to Manchester. There, partners Ryan Bradshaw and Stephanie Hill have handled various cases involving discrimination, migrants’ rights, and breaches of human rights. The Liverpool office will now offer similar services, focusing on legal aid-funded representation for inquests.

The expansion is timely, as the number of firms providing legal aid has significantly declined in recent years. The legal aid contract in Liverpool, combined with Devine’s leadership, will help Leigh Day reach more families in the region who may otherwise struggle to secure legal representation. Devine expressed her commitment to providing local families with much-needed legal support during some of the most difficult times in their lives, saying: “I am passionate about ensuring families in Liverpool and the wider region are able to access the specialist legal advice they need.”

Leigh Day’s broader human rights department handles a wide array of high-profile cases, including representing victims of the Hillsborough disaster, the Molly Russell case, and campaigns challenging government policies like the Rwanda Scheme. The firm's commitment to human rights is evident in its handling of planning, environmental, and judicial review cases, along with its work on inquests and public inquiries.

Leigh Day's partners, including Kevin Johnson and Gene Matthews, welcomed the expansion, noting that the new legal aid contract will allow them to offer their expertise to a wider audience in Liverpool. The firm remains dedicated to providing access to justice for individuals and families dealing with the consequences of state failures, whether in the form of negligence, discrimination, or breaches of human rights.

Leigh Day’s offices across the UK, including London, Manchester, Leeds, and now Liverpool, play a crucial role in ensuring that human rights remain protected, especially for the most vulnerable members of society. With this latest development, the firm is well-positioned to continue making a difference in the lives of those seeking justice in the face of tragedy.