Rhodri Williams KC

Barrister Overview

Rhodri has developed a national reputation for his sharp intellect along with being extremely experienced in his areas of practice.

He is one of the leading public law silks in Wales and specialises in European Union Law, Local Government and Administrative Law.

Between 1992-1997 he worked with the European Commission in Brussels where he was predominantly responsible for the enforcement of the EU internal market legislation in the UK and Ireland.

Rhodri also advises the Welsh Government in relation to procurement obligations and strategies for local and regional government and the situation of developed legislation in Wales (he was the founding member of the Welsh Public Law and Human Rights Association and is currently its Chair). He has also represented the UK government on several occasions before the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

He appeared in the first EU procurement case to go to the Supreme Court in Brent LBC v RMP Ltd [2011] UKSC 7; and in the first reference to the Supreme Court under the Government of Wales Act 2006 in Local Government Byelaws (Wales) Bill 2012 – Reference by the Attorney General for England and Wales [2012] UKSC 53.

As a fluent Welsh speaker Rhodri is able to undertake cases in Welsh as well as in English.

Rhodri is also a tenant of 30 Park Place, Cardiff.

Specialist Areas of Practice

Civil Law

Lists, Panels and Memberships

Member of Gray’s Inn
Welsh Government’s QC Public Law Panel
Bar European Group
Member of the Administrative Law Bar Association
Public Law Wales

Appointments

Queens Council (2010)
Bencher Gray’s Inn (2015)
Legally Qualified Member of Welsh Language Tribunal (2019)

Notable & Reported Cases

Thames Ambulance Service Ltd-v-NHS Lincolnshire CCG [2022] EWHC (TCC); ongoing claims for breaches of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and for apparent bias, in respect of the award of a contract for the provision of patient non-emergency transport services, brought by way of Part 7 claims in the TCC and parallel claims for judicial review in the Administrative Court

R (on the application of Lewis)-v-Welsh Ministers [2021] EWHC (Admin); application for judicial review of the decision of the Welsh Ministers to approve the Outline Business Case of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board to develop the new Velindre Cancer Hospital on the site of the Northern Meadows in Whitchurch, Cardiff

IDH Group Ltd-v-NHS Commissioning Board [2021] EWHC TCC; claim for breach of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 in respect of the procurement of a contract for the provision of orthodontic services challenging the decision to proceed to award contracts under various lots following a previous decision to pause the tender process during the Covid-19 pandemic

R(MDU)-v-Welsh Ministers & Another [2021] EWHC (Admin); claim for judicial review of the decision of the Welsh Ministers to implement a state indemnity scheme for the clinical negligence liabilities of GPs working in NHS general practice in Wales. A parallel claim was heard together against a similar scheme implemented by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in England

Rodericks Dental Limited-v-NHS Commissioning Board [2021] EWHC (QBD); claim on behalf of a dental services provider for a declaration that the NHS wrongly deducts the full amount of patient dental charges from the sums owing to dentists under their General Dental Services contracts.

Diagnostics ai Ltd-v-MDC Ltd [2020] EWHC (TCC); claim for breach of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 in relation to the award of the contract for the provision of automated testing services at the UK Lighthouse Laboratories network, the national network of screening laboratories for the COVID-19 virus
Portman Healthcare Ltd & Others-v-NHS Commissioning Board [2019] EWHC (TCC); multiple claims for breach of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015; parallel Part 7 claims brought in the TCC and claims for judicial review brought in Administrative Court

NHS Commissioning Board-v-Vasant [2019] EWCA Civ 1245; appeal to Court of Appeal against decision of High Court granting a declaration in respect of the interpretation of a General Dental Services contract between the NHS and various dental services providers

SRCL Ltd-v-National Health Service Commissioning Board [2018] EWHC 1985 (TCC); claim against the NHS in respect of the award of a contract for waste disposal services, under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Leading case on application of time limits under public sector procurement regime

Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust-v-Lancashire CC [2018] EWHC 1589 (TCC); claim against a local authority in respect of the award of a contract for the provision of care services, under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015

Recommendations

Chambers Guide 2022: Public Procurement & Local Government
Legal 500 2022: Administrative & Public Law & Public Procurement