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Ruchi accepts instructions in all of Chambers' core practice areas. She regularly appears in the County Court, Magistrates' Courts and High Court and has experience (as a junior) in the Court of Appeal.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Ruchi worked in public law, human rights and international law.
Ruchi has an LLM from Harvard Law School, where she was awarded a Public Service Fellowship, and an LLB (First Class Honours) from the London School of Economics, where she won several prizes including two for best overall performance in the year. Ruchi was awarded the Stephen Chapman Scholarship from Inner Temple.
Ruchi's previous experience includes human rights litigation in domestic courts in eastern Europe and southern and eastern Africa, and the European Court of Human Rights, while working at Interights. She provided advice and training to NGOs and has conducted workshops in Ukraine and Georgia on international human rights standards.
Most recently, Ruchi worked as a legal officer at JUSTICE for two years, where she led the civil justice program. Her work included co-authoring Delivering Justice in an Age of Austerity (with Sir Stanley Burnton) on the reform of the civil courts and tribunals. She continues to work on civil justice reform in a pro bono capacity.
Ruchi was an Associate Editor of New York University Law School's legal blog, Just Security, and a Teaching Fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies. She has also worked with Harvard Law School's International Human Rights Clinic and the Constitution Unit (UCL).
She has spoken at seminars and conferences including:
- 1 Crown Office Row, Public Law in an Age of Austerity (June 2015)
- Keele University, Community Legal Outreach Collaboration Launch (January 2015)
Ruchi has a broad public law and judicial review practice, and has experience in advising both public bodies and private clients in this area. Recent notable cases include acting for the London Borough of Haringey in successfully defending the lawfulness of the Haringey Development Vehicle.
Ruchi has experience across a range of public law issues, such as planning-related matters, challenges to housing allocation schemes, and election law (having acted previously for the Electoral Commission).
Ruchi is also frequently instructed by central government departments through the Government Legal Department's 'Junior Junior' scheme. She was part of the Cornerstone team advising the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on the implementation of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation into domestic law. She is currently part of the legal team for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea ahead of the public inquiry into the Grenfell tragedy.
Ruchi has experience in a number of property law matters and acts on behalf of local authorities and private parties. She has been instructed on a range of issues including service charge disputes, possessions, trespass, tenancy deposits and disrepair.
Most recently, she acted for a housing association (led by Ranjit Bhose QC) in an arbitration relating to the construction of an option agreement and for a local authority (led by Matt Hutchings QC) in securing affordable housing planning obligations that had been breached by the developer/housing association.
Ruchi has a growing practice in this field and has represented a range of clients in planning inquiries as well as High Court proceedings.
Recent inquiries include a rights of way challenge in Wales, successfully resisting retail development in the setting of a conservation area, and numerous enforcement appeals.
Ruchi also has experience in planning enforcement matters in the Magistrates' Courts.
Ruchi is experienced in the housing sector, and is regularly instructed by local authorities, housing associations, private landlords and tenants. She has acted in a range of housing law claims including possessions, warrant suspensions, anti-social behaviour, tenancy fraud and injunctions. She has represented local authorities in a number of housing law trials, including in the multi-track, and has experience of appeals in this context. Ruchi has also advised on issues relating to housing allocation schemes.
During pupillage, Ruchi spent time on secondment at a local housing authority.
Ruchi has a growing practice in licensing law. She recently represented the responsible licensing authority at a hearing concerning We Are Festival. Ruchi has experience in taxi licensing appeals and has also represented the Security Industry Authority in resisting statutory appeals in the Magistrates' Courts.
Ruchi was a member of the Cornerstone Barristers' team advising the Fawcett Society on prostitution law, specifically whether the UK should adopt the so-called 'sex buyer law', which seeks to criminalise the buyer rather than the seller of sexual services.
Ruchi is experienced in data protection law and is regularly instructed to advise and represent both private clients and public bodies in this field. Recent notable cases include:
Ruchi has advised a number of clients, including local authorities, on preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and can provide bespoke training in this area.
She was also part of the Cornerstone team advising the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on the implementation of the GDPR into domestic law.
1st September 2016
Ruchi has published articles and commentary in human rights and international law. Select publications include:
- Warfare and "Judicial Imperialism" in the UK, Just Security (6 May 2015)
- Delivering Justice in an Age of Austerity, U.K. Const. L. Blog (27 April 2015)
- How to Interpret the UN HRC's Comment on National Security Detentions, Just Security (21 Jan 2015)
- Lessons from Litigating Universal Primary Education in Swaziland 17(2) Interights Bulletin (2013) p.83
News
Response to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee's inquiry on fracking
24th April 2018
Some of our planning barristers have responded to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee's inquiry into planning guidance on fracking. You can read the response here. Our barristers have extensive experience in....Case
8th February 2018
In a much-anticipated judgment, the High Court has today ruled that Haringey Council's decision to set up the Haringey Development Vehicle ("HDV") was lawful.The HDV is a proposed 50-50 limited....News
Betting industry bracing over new government consultation on gambling
31st October 2017
Betting industry bracing over new government consultation on gambling
....Case
Southwark Gets Tough on Affordable Housing Pledges Again
14th July 2017
Following litigation brought in the High Court, Chancery Division, the London Borough of Southwark has secured the return of 9 more designated affordable housing units to affordable housing use. This follows....News
LexisPSL - Subject access requests
24th March 2017
In an article for LexisPSL, Ruchi Parekh considers the Court of Appeal's judgment in Ittihadieh and the issues discussed including the definition of personal data and what constitutes a subject....News
Cornerstone Housing Newsletter - May 2016
4th May 2016
The latest edition of the Cornerstone Housing Newsletter includes: Message from the Heads of Team – Kuljit Bhogal and Kelvin Rutledge QC Hotak, Johnson & Kanu one year on – Kelvin Rutledge....News
Parliamentary Inquiry into Prostitution
21st March 2016
A team from Cornerstone Barristers is advising a national feminist organisation appearing in an inquiry into prostitution. The Home Affairs Select Committee is conducting an inquiry into prostitution, and in particular....EVENT
Public law/Equality Act 2010 defences seminar
7th June 2017
1
Local Authorities and Housing Associations are increasingly facing defences to their possession claims based on some public law challenge, or the Equality Act 2010. This is especially so with respect....EVENT
Tackling tenancy fraud: the law and practice of sub-letting and non-occupation claims
25th April 2017
1
This seminar is aimed at social landlords and their representatives and will consider the legal and practical issues to which sub-letting or parting with possession of social housing give rise. ....