Paul Ridge

Paul specialises in public law with a particular interest in community care and housing. His work includes cases to the House of Lords in G v Barnet a matter relating to Children Act rights to housing and the Court of Appeal and most recently, in a matter of adverse possession rights to land worth over £10 million.

Paul is regularly instructed by the Official Solicitor to act on behalf of adults who lack capacity to make their own decisions and has conducted a number of cases involving obtaining community care assessments for vulnerable adults, as well as in the protection of property of vulnerable adults. 

He has experience of bringing cases against a wide range of public bodies as well as acting for individuals and organisations, including advice to the Law Society relating to recovery of unrecouped payments on account from law firms.

Case history

Recent highlights include:

• R (G) v Barnet:
  The leading House of Lords decision relating to relating to councils’ accommodation responsibilities under the Children Act 1989.
• Santos v Compatriot Holdings CA
   A successful defence of a tenant Rent Act 1977
• R(J) v Enfield
  Successful challenge to the failure to assist a woman with HIV. Confirmed power to provide community care services under s2 Local Government Act
• Secretarial Nominee v Thomas
  A Court of Appeal decision relating to security under the Rent Act
• MM& Savant v Brown & Raja & Pauley (Lands Tribunal)
  Successful challenge to service charge liability and defence of ‘old’ s20 consultation  requirements.  

Other matters:

• Successful challenge of a City Council for failing to act to prevent homophobic abuse.
• Advised solicitors facing investigation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
• Successfully appealed against the imposition of sanctions against a solicitor imposed almost 2 years earlier.
• Advised various dental practices facing regulatory investigations including representations to the PCT and dental investigation unit.
• Handled challenge re admission by the postgraduate medical education and training board (PMETB).

Paul is a member of the editorial board of Community Care Law Reports and executive committee member of the Housing Law Practitioners Association (HLPA). He regularly tutors on community care and housing. 

Paul graduated from University College London. He gained a distinction in the LPC winning the Law Society prize as top of his year.

What the professional directories say

Paul is "extremely dedicated to his clients and exercises excellent judgement." (Chambers 2011)

Legal 500 (2010) describes Paul as ‘excellent, and completely committed to his clients’

Chambers and Partners UK 2009 describes Paul as “extremely dedicated and client-focused… He is incredibly well read and always on top of the latest developments - for him it’s not just a job, but a real source of pride and passion.”

Chambers 2011
Social Housing: Tenants (Band 2)
Paul's full profile and ranking status on Chambers 2011

Chambers 2010
Social Housing: Tenants - London & UK - wide: ranked 2nd
Paul's full profile and ranking status on Chambers 2010

Legal 500 (2010)

Social Housing - Ranked in tier 5