Celia Reynolds

Celia’s broad public law practice spans planning and environmental matters, health and social care, community care, education, mental health, and financial services. Celia is regularly instructed in judicial review proceedings, as both sole and junior counsel.

Her recent and current work includes:

• R (Possible (The 10:10 Foundation)) v (1) Secretary of State for Transport (2) Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy [2025] EWHC 1101 (Admin) – Celia was instructed by Possible in a challenge to the Defendant’s Jet Zero Strategy within which the Government sets out how aviation will achieve net zero by 2050 (led by David Wolfe KC, Peter Lockley, and Stephanie David).
• Celia is frequently instructed in a wide range of SEND tribunals, acting for claimants and local authorities. She has also advised claimants and local authorities on related judicial review proceedings.
• Celia was previously instructed by the Department of Health in the Covid Inquiry. She is keen to build a practice in inquiries, which she gained extensive experience of during pupillage.
• Celia regularly advises on and is instructed in a wide range of judicial review matters arising out of her work in the Court of Protection and in social care.
• Advising the Financial Ombudsman Service as consultant counsel. 

Celia is a member of ALBA, ARDL, and UKELA.

Before coming to Chambers, Celia worked for a variety of non-governmental organisations, including the Migration Policy Institute, the International Refugee Assistance Project, and the AIRE (‘Advice on Individual Rights in Europe’) Centre. 

Celia is developing a specialist environmental law practice, and is particularly interested in climate change, land use, habitats regulation, and water. She regularly advises and represents clients in a wide range of legal issues relating to environmental regulation, planning law, climate change, and the protection of natural resources.

Celia has experience working on high-profile environmental challenges, including judicial reviews of government policy, appeals against the refusal of planning permission, and advocacy on behalf of local communities fighting for the protection of amenities.

Recent highlights have included:

• R (Possible (The 10:10 Foundation)) v (1) Secretary of State for Transport (2) Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy [2025] EWHC 1101 (Admin) – Celia was instructed by Possible in a challenge to the Defendant’s Jet Zero Strategy within which the Government sets out how aviation will achieve net zero by 2050 (led by David Wolfe KC, Peter Lockley, and Stephanie David).
• Celia is currently instructed as junior counsel in the forthcoming DCO examination for Lime Down Solar Project, a proposed project spanning 2,118 acres and adjacent to nearly a dozen towns and villages in Wiltshire.
• Advising the Lifescape Project on the law of rewilding and species reintroduction in England & Wales (instructed by the Environmental Law Foundation and led by Richard Wald KC and Ned Helme)
• Successfully defending the decision of Milton Keynes Council to refuse planning permission for the development of over 500 units of housing in the open countryside on a site adjacent to Linford Lakes, an area rich in biodiversity and hosting a local nature reserve (APP/Y0435/W/23/3321221) (led by Daniel Stedman-Jones)

In addition to her core practice, Celia contributes to discussions on environment law and regularly presents at conferences and seminars. Celia has co-authored two chapters in, ‘Law of Net Zero and Nature Positive’ on water law and contracting for climate change, has been published twice in the Journal of Environmental Law as a co-author to the annual article on Significant UK Environmental Law Cases, and is a regular contributor to the Chambers’ Planning, Environment, and Property Newsletter. Celia has recently joined the team supporting Chambers’ podcast, Climate Law Matters, available on Apple and Spotify.

Celia is a member of ALBA, UKELA and PEBA. 

Celia has a busy planning and property practice, undertaking the full range of work from advisory and pleading, to appearing at inquiry/in court. Celia is currently undertaking a secondment with Buckinghamshire Council’s Planning and Highways Team and previously undertook a secondment with Hertfordshire County Council’s Countryside and Rights of Way team.

Celia has an in-depth knowledge of the Highways Act 1980 and the Commons Act 2006. She is regularly instructed in relation to highways issues, including definitive map issues and traffic regulation.

Recent highlights include:

• Celia was instructed as sole counsel for the Jockey Club in a four-day planning inquiry, resisting an appeal in respect of an application for a lawful development certificate confirming the use of land at the Former Animal Health Trust Research Centre, Kentford, for Class E purposes.
• Successfully defending a claim for judicial review of the refusal of planning permission;
• Successfully defending the decision of Milton Keynes Council to refuse planning permission for the development of over 500 units of housing in the open countryside on a site adjacent to Linford Lakes, an area rich in biodiversity and hosting a local nature reserve (APP/Y0435/W/23/3321221) (led by Daniel Stedman-Jones)

Celia is a regular contributor to the Chambers’ Planning, Environment, and Property Newsletter. She is also a member of UKELA and PEBA. 

Celia regularly appears as sole counsel in the High court and County Court of the Court of Protection on the Health and Welfare pathway. Celia acts for a range of parties in Court of Protection cases, including local authorities, integrated care boards, and the Official Solicitor.

Celia’s recent health and welfare instructions include work on a complex fluctuating capacity case, led by Steve Broach KC in the High Court.

Celia also acts in a growing number of medical treatment cases. Celia is a member of the Court of Protection Bar Association.

Celia is building a practice in community care, acting on behalf of local authorities and claimants. While working at the AIRE Centre, Celia assisted with research in respect of the book, ‘The European Court of Human Rights and Mental Health.’

Recent highlights include:

• Successfully acting as sole counsel for the claimant in respect of a judicial review of a care needs assessment and the failure of a local authority to meet the claimant’s eligible needs and provide necessary adaptations to her property.
• Advising as sole counsel for the claimant in respect of a JR, HRA and discrimination claim against the Parole Board and Secretary of state, concerning detention under the Mental Health Act, the right to seek early release, and the statutory duty to appoint a Responsible Clinician.
• Providing advice in respect of strategic litigation and a JR claim concerning mental health services. 

Celia is regularly instructed in a range of SEND tribunals cases, acting for claimants and local authorities. She is a contributing author of a forthcoming chapter on healthcare law of ‘Disabled Children: A Legal Handbook’ (Legal Action Group).

Recent highlights include:

• Successfully advising and appearing on behalf of the appellant, in an appeal of Sections B, F, and I, instructed by Coram;
• Successfully appearing for the respondent local authority in an appeal of section I;
• Successfully advising in respect of an appeal of Section I, instructed by Advocate. The local authority conceded its case prior to appeal.
• Advising in respect of a judicial review of a local government funding decision, considering failure to consult per s. 27 Children and Families Act 2014, the Tameside duty of inquiry, and the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Celia has a broad clinical negligence and personal injury practice with strong connections to her interests in mental health, healthcare, and human rights. Celia takes a great interest in cases which concern mental health and social care services and those lacking capacity in respect of welfare decisions.

Her past and current experience includes:

• Celia is currently instructed by the RFU in relation to Hughes v RFU [High Court], a multi-party claim alleging that rugby causes neuro-degenerative diseases, led by Neil Block KC and Jack Holborn.
• Celia regularly advises and drafts pleadings in respect of clinical negligence claims brought against health bodies;
• Celia has extensive experience of employers’ liability, public liability and occupiers’ liability, claims.
• Celia acts for both claimants and defendants and is regularly instructed as sole counsel in county court, fast track, and multi-track claims.

Celia is currently instructed by the RFU in relation to Hughes v RFU [High Court], a multi-party claim alleging that rugby causes neuro-degenerative diseases, led by Neil Block KC and Jack Holborn.

Celia has particular experience in financial services, having been seconded as consultant counsel to the Financial Ombudsman Service, where she advised on a wide range of issues under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Celia has also acted in several judicial review claims, on behalf of the Financial Ombudsman Service, as sole counsel.