Public Law

Prior to taking silk, Galina was a member of the Attorney General’s “A” Panel of junior counsel and was described in Legal 500 as “one of the very best juniors at the Administrative Bar” and in Chambers and Partners as “always a very impressive opponent”. Galina continues to act both for and against central and local government and other public bodies. In addition to the specialisms listed below her recent work has focussed on healthcare and community care, including disputes between public bodies about which is responsible for funding care in various situations. Galina was a contributor to the late Stephen Knafler QC’s books on Adult Social Care Law and Children’s Social Care Law.

Property

Galina acts for a diverse range of clients, from social housing tenants and public bodies to major property companies, in all areas of commercial and residential property law. She is “very approachable, very thorough and creative” (Chambers and Partners) and “very articulate and extremely thorough whilst looking at the end objective and for practical solutions” (Legal 500). She has particular expertise in cases at the intersection of public and property law, such as issues concerning land for schools and other public services, and property litigation that raises human rights and/or Equality Act points.

Education

Galina has been described in Chambers & Partners as commanding “huge respect” for her “great experience of representing individuals, schools and local authorities in Special Educational Needs and Disability appeals.” She is also recommended in Legal 500, where she has been reported to be “approachable, with good knowledge of the law”. Galina has extensive experience of judicial review claims in education matters, ranging from exclusion and admissions to school organisation and university funding issues. Her work also includes acting on behalf of public bodies tasked with regulating those who work in education, as well as representing those subject to that regulation. She represented the Department for Education in a number of strands of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

Immigration

Galina specialises in representing individuals subject to immigration control. She frequently appears in the First-Tier and Upper Tribunal, and has acted in a large number of judicial review challenges to decisions of the immigration authorities. She has particular experience of civil claims for damages for unlawful detention. Galina is recommended for her work in immigration law in both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 where she has been described as “a real brain-box who makes light work of her cases” and “incredibly gifted on her feet and popular with clients.”

Rating

Galina “really knows her way around rating” (Chambers and Partners) and is “Very calm, thorough, good with clients” and “Good at gauging prospects” (Legal 500). In addition to advising and appearing on behalf of the Valuation Office Agency, billing authorities and individual ratepayers in both statutory appeals and liability order claims, she has recently been involved in a number of judicial reviews relating to rating, particularly concerning measures taken in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.