Simon Ramsden
Simon is a Senior Associate in our Public Law and Regulatory team.
He advises public bodies, regulators and all those affected by their decisions.
Simon qualified with the Government Legal Service and has over 10 years’ experience of high profile, complex and sensitive litigation up to and including the UK Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights.
He has also worked on a number of public inquiries and inquests, including those into the London 7/7 bombings and the deaths of Baha Mousa and Alexander Litvinenko, and was Solicitor to Dame Heather Hallett’s independent review of the administrative scheme concerning “on-the-runs” in Northern Ireland.
Simon joined us from The Pensions Regulator where he advised on regulatory decision-making and enforcement.
- Successfully defending The Pensions Regulator in a tribunal reference raising issues of regulatory compliance, statutory interpretation and procedural fairness.
- Advising The Pensions Regulator’s Determinations Panel on the exercise of a range of regulatory powers including applications for master trust authorisation under the Pension Scheme Act 2017.
- Prosecuting an individual and corporate for refusing to provide information and documents to The Pensions Regulator in response to a valid production notice.
- Defending the Secretaries of State for Justice and the Home Department in challenges to the lawfulness of the criminal records disclosure regime as being incompatible with Article 8 ECHR.
- Acting for the Lord Chancellor in a number of challenges concerning controversial changes to the provision of legal aid including the reduction of criminal legal aid contracts, evidential requirements in domestic violence applications and systemic challenges to the provision of access to justice within the immigration, criminal justice and prison systems.
- Conducting litigation for the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office involving secret evidence and the use of a closed material procedure and Special Advocates under the Justice and Security Act 2013.
- Acting for the Secretaries of State for Defence and Transport in a challenge about whether arrangements for overseeing and regulating the safe use of RAF Northolt for civil passenger and commercial air traffic were lawful.
- Lead lawyer in the Iraqi Civilian Claims (a group of more than 300 damages claims). This included advising and representing the Ministry of Defence at multiple settlement negotiations, a successful costs mediation and in a Judicial Review of the UK government’s decision not to establish a public inquiry into allegations of abuse and unlawful detention.
- Administrative and constitutional law
- Equality and human rights
- Judicial review
- Regulatory law
- Public inquiries, inquests and investigations
- Mediation and ADR
Career
- Senior Associate, Capital Law Limited (Mar 2021 – present)
- Litigation Lawyer, The Pensions Regulator (2017 – 2021)
- Senior Lawyer, Government Legal Department (the Treasury Solicitor’s Department) (2010 – 2017)
- Lawyer, Government Legal Department (2006 – 2010)
- Legal Trainee, Government Legal Department (2005 – 2006)
Education
- London School of Economics and Political Science: Certificate in International Human Rights Law and Practice (2007)
- Called to the Bar: Middle Temple (2005)
- BPP Law School: Bar Vocational Course (2004-2005)
- BPP Law School: Diploma in Law (2002-2003)
- University of Durham: Modern History BA (Hons) (1998 – 2001)
Memberships / Trustee Positions
- The General Council of the Bar
- Middle Temple
- Constitutional and Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA)