Leonard Wigg

Leonard has significant experience in public law and is regularly instructed in judicial review proceedings.

His public law practice has a particular focus on sanctions, detention, human trafficking, asylum, human rights and judicial review claims against regulatory bodies. His clients include individuals, government departments, regulators and regulated professionals.

He regularly acts in high-profile litigation involving the UK Government and appears unled in the Administrative Court.

Recent examples of Leonard’s Public Law practice include:

• Acting for the Secretary of State for the Home Department in the Rwanda litigation
• Acting for a healthcare professional in claim for Judicial Review against her regulator.
• Acting for the Secretary of State for the Home Department in a Judicial Review challenging the refusal to grant settlement under the ‘Restricted Leave’ policy.
• Acting for the Secretary of State of Defence in a Judicial Review challenging the alleged failure to investigate deaths caused by UK soldiers.
• Acting for the Secretary of State for the Home Department in a Judicial Review challenging the lawfulness of detention pursuant to Article 5 of the European Convention of Human Rights
• Acting for Department of Net Zero and Energy Security in an appeal against the Information Commissioners’ Office.
• Acting for the Secretary of State for the Home Department in a Judicial Review seeking ‘Frankovich’ damages.

Leonard acts for both regulatory bodies and regulated professionals.

He is ranked in Chambers UK 2025 in Professional Discipline: Leonard Wigg of Farrar’s Building is a well-regarded junior who is regularly instructed on professional discipline matters concerning healthcare professionals. He has experience both acting for regulators, such as the NMC, and defending professionals.

He has acted in proceedings involving, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Architect Registration Board, the General Medical Council, the General Optical Council, the General Pharmaceutical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Health Care Professional Council,

Leonard is qualified in the handling of vulnerable witnesses and is often instructed in such cases.

He has particular expertise in public and human rights law, public international law, sanctions, regulatory law, sports law, data protection law, commercial law, personal injury, public inquiries and immigration law. His clients include individuals, companies, government departments, regulators, regulated professionals and athletes.

• Acting for a healthcare professional in claim for Judicial Review against her regulator.
• Acting for a regulator whose member is designated under UK sanctions.
• Acting for a regulator in allegations of sexual misconduct against the registrant’s biological daughter.
• Acting for a regulator in allegations of racial misconduct against the registrant

Leonard represents athletes (including Olympians) in all manner of regulatory issues relating to sport law, such as deselection appeals and abuse claims.

Recent examples include:

• Acting for an athlete in a challenge to deselection.
• Acting for an athlete in a change of National Governing Body
• Acting in arbitration proceedings for Olympians facing allegations of abuse brought by their national governing body.
• Acting for an athlete in a challenge to arbitration jurisdiction.

As a qualified arbitrator, he has an in depth knowledge of arbitral procedures used in sports law.

Leonard is also a member of the Sport Resolution Pro Bono Panel.

Leonard accepts instructions in commercial matters and has a growing practice in this area.

His advice is always practical and commercially astute.

Recent examples of his commercial work include:

• Advising in a breach of contract and related claim
• Advising on the termination of contact

Acting for both core participants and inquiries themselves, Leonard has extensive experience in public inquiry work.

He was junior Counsel to the Undercover Police Inquiry and acted for core participants in the Brook House Inquiry, Dawn Sturgess Inquiry and the Grenfell Public Inquiry.

Leonard acts for claimants and defendants in all manner of personal injury cases.

Recent examples of his personal injury work include:

• Acting for a local authority accused of breaching Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights in respect of wrongfully removing children from parental care.
• Acting for the Secretary of State for the Home Department in a claim for psychiatric damage arising out of detention.
• Acting for national supermarket accused of injury following an alleged data breach.

Leonard is a qualified arbitrator (MCIArb) and accepts appointments to hear disputes.

He also is instructed as counsel to act in arbitration proceedings, including those involving complex issues of arbitral jurisdiction.