Practice Summary
Galina specialises in public and administrative law, acting for a range of individuals and public bodies in various tribunals and the higher courts. Recent cases have covered such diverse subjects as immigration detention, school exclusions and the rateability of ATM sites. She is a member of the Attorney General’s “B” Panel of Junior Counsel. She also has a wide-ranging practice in property litigation and experience of civil litigation generally, with a particular focus on costs matters.
Public Law
Galina is recommended for Administrative and Public Law in the most recent edition of the Legal 500, where she is described as, ‘A star performer whose written work in particular is of the highest order.’ She is regularly instructed both for and against central and local government. In addition to the specialisms listed below, her recent work has covered prisons (including categorization and recall challenges), community care, social security (with a particular focus on tax credits), and child support.
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 is 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 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.
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 regularly advises and appears on behalf of the Valuation Office Agency, billing authorities and individual ratepayers in both statutory appeals and liability order claims.
Property
Galina acts for a diverse range of clients, from social housing tenants to major property companies, in all areas of commercial and residential landlord and tenant. She has particular expertise in claims under the Electronic Communications Code, in which she acts for both landowners and telecommunications operators. She is recommended for property litigation in both Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners.
Qualifications
Galina studied Law with German Law at Magdalen College, Oxford, and the University of Konstanz, Germany.