Ruth Stockley KC

Year of call: 1988  | Year of silk: 2024

0345 034 3444
gsmith@kingschambers.com
Clerked by: Gary Smith, Mark Ronson
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Ruth specialises in all aspects of town and country planning, environmental law, compulsory purchase, highways, road traffic regulation, taxi licensing, village greens and judicial review. She regularly advises and acts for developers, landowners, local authorities and third parties, with extensive experience in appearing at planning inquiries relating to residential, employment, retail, leisure, energy and waste schemes and enforcement notices, as well as CPO and rights of way inquiries. She frequently appears in the courts at all levels and in various tribunals, including the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) on compensation issues, the First Tier Tribunal relating to listing of Assets of Community Value, and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal on traffic regulation.

Ruth has a particular expertise in highway law, has been an Editor of the Highway Law and Practice Encyclopaedia for over 25 years, and is widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading authorities on highways. She also regularly sits as an Inspector at non-statutory village green inquiries, and appeared at the Supreme Court for the successful party in the landmark Barkas decision.

Expertise

Significant Cases

(Nottingham City Council) v. Bus Lane Adjudicator [2017] EWHC 430 (Admin)

Successful resistance of judicial review of traffic penalty tribunal’s decision.


Surrey County Council v. Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead [2016] EWHC 2901 (Admin)

High Court challenge to a weight restriction order.


(Barkas) v. North Yorkshire County Council [2014] UKSC 31

Supreme Court landmark village green decision.


(Barrow Borough Council) v. Cumbria County Council [2011] EWHC 2051 (Admin)

Successful judicial review of a Site Allocation Policies Development Plan.


(Hampson) v. Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council [2005] EWHC 1656 (Admin)

Successful resistance of judicial review of grant of planning permission.


Chauffeur Bikes v. Leeds City Council [2005] EWHC 2369 (Admin)

Case stated private hire vehicle licensing.

Related News

'Ruth is pragmatic and has excellent technical and tactical knowledge. She is always well prepared and unflappable, and she has the experience to read the room and tailor her style accordingly.‘

Legal 500 2024

"She really serves her clients well. An individual who puts in the extra hours."

Chambers UK 2023

"Ruth Stockley is able to tailor her advice to suit the experience of clients. Ruth is a joy to work with, and I always recommend her as the go-to person on highway matters."

Chambers UK 2024

  

Appointed King’s Counsel in March 2024

Chambers UK 2023

“Ruth Stockley is excellent. A leader in her field in relation to highways and right of way, I wouldn’t use anyone else.”

“She really serves her clients well. An individual who puts in the extra hours.”

Legal 500 2023

“Ruth is a “go-to” in all highway-related matters. The strength and depth of her knowledge in this area is unrivalled. She has an ability to tailor her advice to suit the client and she is always a joy to work with.”

Chambers UK 2022

“Ruth is absolutely fantastic on all things highways-related.” “She is like an encyclopedia.”

Chambers UK 2021

“She has a good understanding of the legal landscape, including the specific and esoteric aspects of environmental law.”

Provides excellent, no-nonsense advice, especially on right of way matters.” “She is very impressive – a real expert on highways law.”

Legal 500 2021

“She is a fantastic person to work with and her strategic advice is always precise and effective. On her feet, Ruth is able to essentially extract the information she needs from witnesses with her wit rather than being aggressive in tone. She almost catches the witnesses off-guard which is extremely clever. Ruth also works well under pressure and in difficult situations.”

Legal 500, 2020

“An excellent advocate in planning litigation and inquiries.”

“Extremely knowledgeable and experienced.”

Chambers UK 2020

“She is well liked by clients and has a straightforward manner.”

“A highways guru.” “She gives clear, cool and concise advice on a range of matters including judicial reviews and rights of way.”

Chambers UK 2019

“She is very personable, straightforward and down to earth. She gives great, clear advice and is very good with clients.”

“Extremely approachable and easy to work with. Her judgement can be relied on with confidence.” “Her expertise in highways matters really is 100%. She has such great knowledge, application and a really accessible manner.”

Chambers UK 2018

“As an advocate she has a really nice way about her. She is very approachable, clients like her and she gives good, sound advice.”

“She is very approachable and the advice she gives is of excellent quality.” “She gives clear and concise advice on a range of matters including judicial reviews and rights of way.”

Legal 500 2018

‘She has excellent legal knowledge.’

‘Her legal knowledge and client care skills are excellent.’

Chambers UK 2017

“She is excellent – very good and effective, with considerable experience. She is always very, very reliable.”

“She is excellently prepared, performs well on her feet, and is an absolute pleasure to work with.” “She is alive to the angles and issues in a case and thinks two steps ahead. She is very user-friendly, and very patient with both instructing solicitors and clients.”

Legal 500 2017

‘She is fantastic to work with and provides clear, strategic advice.’

Chambers UK 2016

“Very pleasant, very competent and on top of all the legislation.”

“She is very good on her feet and gets to the nub of the matter with charm and grace.”

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