Andrew Williams

Principal Associate | Commercial Disputes

Practice Areas

Contact

+447977 198 497
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Andrew is a Principal Associate in our Public Law team.

Andrew trained in Australia and has been working in the UK for over 20 years. He is skilled in Public and Administrative Law, Government Advisory, Regulatory Law, Litigation and Legal Research.

Andrew joined us in early 2023 from the Government Legal Department where he provided public law advice to Ministers in various Departments on a number of high priority, high profile and/or complex matters with significant impact across the country and internationally.

Andrew was Deputy Director (SCS1) in the Roads Group within the Department of Transport Legal Advisers (DfTLA), where he led a team covering Road Safety & Insurance, the Accident Investigation Branches, Connected & Autonomous Vehicles, Future Transport Systems & Environment, and the Driver Agencies (DVSA/DVLA). Previously, throughout the COVID pandemic, he was a Senior Lawyer leading on advising Ministers and senior officials regarding international COVID travel measures (international travel restrictions (including the “traffic light” system), vaccine certification).

Andrew also has extensive public litigation experience, in particular (i) acting for the Ministry of Defence in civil claims brought by foreign claimants alleging mistreatment by British troops in Iraq, and (ii) defending numerous government Departments (including the Home Office and Security Services) in private law claims brought by former detainees at the US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (Al Rawi v The Security Service & Others).

Expertise

  • Public/administrative and constitutional law
  • Judicial review/litigation
  • Regulatory law
  • Equality and human rights
  • Public inquiries and investigations
  • Commercial disputes
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Recent work

Andrew joins us from the Government Legal Department where he provided advice to Ministers in various Departments on a number issues including:

COVID travel measures
Senior Lawyer within Department for Transport Legal Advisors, leading on advising Ministers and senior officials regarding international COVID travel measures (international travel restrictions (including the “traffic light” system), vaccine certification).

Volkswagen emissions scandal
Advising the Secretary of State for Transport with respect to the Government response to the Volkswagen emissions scandal, including defending potential legal claims by Volkswagen.

Op Yellowhammer
Advising the Department for Transport on Op Yellowhammer (contingency planning for a “no deal” Brexit”) – including supporting various strands of the Kent Traffic Management plan, facilitating the deployment of Operation Brock, and legal support for the freight prioritisation programme to ensure the supply of category 1 goods into the UK.

Detaining asylum seekers
Defending the Home Secretary in multiple challenges brought against the policy of detaining asylum seekers whose claim is capable of a quick decision (the “Detained Fast Track).

London Metropolitan University
Acting for the Home Secretary in a challenge brought by London Metropolitan University (LMU) against the revocation of its Tier 4 sponsor licence on the basis that it had failed to meet its screening obligations and was a risk to immigration control. LMU was the first university to face revocation.

Ministry of Defence
Conducting litigation for the Ministry of Defence (particularly the “Camp Breadbasket” litigation) defending civil claim brought by foreign claimants alleging mistreatment by British troops in Iraq – including a successful mediation outside the UK.

Guantanamo Bay
Defending numerous government Departments (including the Home Office and Security Services) in private law claims brought by former detainees at the US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (Al Rawi v The Security Service & Others).

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