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Jake Thorold

Year of call: 2020

Jake accepts instructions across all of Chambers’ practice areas with a particular interest in public, planning and environmental law.

In his first six months of practice, Jake was instructed as sole counsel in both the High Court and in the high-profile South Kensington tube station planning inquiry. He was also instructed in the Supreme Court in R (Maguire) v His Majesty’s Senior Coroner for Blackpool and Fylde [2023] UKSC 20 on the scope of the procedural obligation under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights (pro bono written submissions for MIND led by Alex Ruck-Keene KC (Hon)).

Jake has recently been heavily involved in judicial review challenges to the Home Office’s asylum accommodation measures, including West Lindsey District Council’s high-profile challenge to the use of RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire (see here).

In 2021-2022 Jake was a Judicial Assistant at the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, assigned to Lord Sales and Lady Rose. In this role Jake was involved with some of the most important cases of the year, including Hillside Parks Ltd v Snowdonia National Park Authority [2022] UKSC 30 on successive planning permissions, Fearn v Board of Trustees of the Tate Gallery [2023] UKSC 4 on the applicability of the law of nuisance in cases of visual intrusion, Basfar v Wong [2022] UKSC 21 on the scope of diplomatic immunity for human trafficking and Attorney General for Bermuda v Ferguson and others [2022] UKPC 5 concerning the constitutionality of same-sex marriage in Bermuda.

Prior to coming to the Bar Jake worked for the Royal Society of Arts think tank and studied at Cambridge (starred double first), Harvard and Oxford (top of year). 

Jake is a member of the Administrative Law Bar Association, the Planning and Environmental Bar Association, the UK Environmental Law Association, the Environmental Law Foundation and the Court of Protection Bar Association. He is willing to accept pro bono instructions in appropriate cases.

Areas of expertise

Public Law

Jake is developing a broad public law practice. During his first six months of practice he was instructed in the Supreme Court in R (Maguire) v His Majesty’s Senior Coroner for Blackpool and Fylde (written submissions led by Alex Ruck-Keene KC (Hon)) and by the Department of Health in the Infected Blood Inquiry.

Jake has recently been heavily involved in judicial review challenges to the Home Office’s asylum accommodation measures, including West Lindsey District Council’s high-profile challenge to the use of RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire (see here).

Jake has also been instructed as sole counsel in public law matters, including recently in a successful appeal against the contents of a disabled child’s educational, health and care (EHC) plan in the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Tribunal.

Planning and Environment

In his first 6 months of practice, Jake was instructed as sole counsel by a local residents in the high profile South Kensington Tube Station planning inquiry (see here).

Jake also recently acted as sole counsel on behalf of local residents to successfully resist a planning appeal for the construction of an ALDI supermarket in Thames Ditton (see here)

Jake has recently been heavily involved in judicial review challenges to the Home Office’s asylum accommodation measures, including West Lindsey District Council’s widely covered challenge to the use of RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire (see here; led by Richard Wald KC).

Jake also acted for Great Yarmouth Borough Council before Mr Justice Holgate in the only successful planning injunction case brought against the government’s use of hotels for asylum seeker accommodation: Great Yarmouth Borough Council v Al-Abdin & Ors [2022] EWHC 3476 (led by Richard Wald KC). Jake has also acted as sole counsel in the High Court in planning injunction matters.

Jake is frequently instructed by both claimants and local planning authorities in judicial reviews of planning permissions, as well as to provide advice on all areas of planning and environmental law.

Court of Protection

Jake is frequently instructed in the Court of Protection on behalf of the Official Solicitor, Local Authorities, Integrated Care Boards and family members. Jake has been instructed as sole counsel in the High Court in CoP matters, and was recently praised by Mr Justice Francis for acting pro bono in a case relating to a seriously unwell teenager (see here). 

He has been praised for his ability to quickly absorb large amounts of information, clear submissions and sensitive approach to difficult circumstances.

Civil Liability

During pupillage, Jake was instructed (led by William Norris KC) in professional negligence proceedings concerning the death of a valuable racehorse at a veterinary surgery. He was singled out by the judge in the judgment for the assistance he provided.

Jake appears regularly in the County Courts in matters such as personal injury and credit hire, and frequently drafts pleadings. Jake is often asked to advise on matters ranging from procedural issues to quantum. 

Commercial, Construction and Property

Jake is frequently instructed to advise on commercial and construction matters. He recently advised, for example, on a defective construction matter worth over £600,000.