Civil liberties and human rights law firm Pierce Glynn, which has an office in Bristol, has merged with London lawyers Deighton Guedalla.
Deighton Pierce Glynn – as the new firm is called – will retain the ethos of both firms, using the law to enforce the rights of the disadvantaged, hold the state to account for its actions, challenge discrimination and fight human rights and environmental abuses.
Pierce Glynn’s Bristol office – and its Swindon outreach centre – have had a number of notable victories including successful challenges to a funding cut to Gloucester Race Equality Council and the tendering of voluntary sector services for the disabled in Swindon.
The office is part of the Environmental Justice Partnership, a collaboration between UWE Bristol, Bristol Green Capital Partnership, the Environmental Law Foundation and the ADR Group, Bristol.
Deighton Guedalla founding partner Jane Deighton, who becomes a director of the merged firm, said: “We are merging because we admire each other's work. The new firm will provide an inspired and broader service to our clients."
Deighton Guedalla specialises in challenging discrimination and abuses of power by the police and public authorities. Jane is well known for her work acting for Duwayne Brooks, the friend of Stephen Lawrence who was with him when he was murdered.
Pierce Glynn has a national reputation for innovative public law and social welfare litigation, from challenging public service cuts for NGOs, to acting for torture and trafficking survivors.
Polly Glynn, a founding partner of Pierce Glynn who also becomes a director of the new firm, welcomed the collaboration.
She said: “Although practicing in different areas, our high-quality lawyers have a strong shared set of values which is at the heart of all the work we do.”
