Former Treasury Solicitor to join Public & Administrative Law team at City firm

Sir Jonathan Jones QC (Hon), the former Treasury Solicitor and Permanent Secretary of the Government Legal Department, is to join Linklaters as a Senior Consultant within the firm’s Dispute Resolution practice in London.

Jones was Treasury Solicitor from 2014 until September 2020, when he resigned amid reports of his unhappiness at government plans to overwrite, through the UK internal market bill, parts of the EU Withdrawal Agreement in relation to Northern Ireland.

Susanna McGibbon was appointed last month as his successor as Treasury Solicitor, HM Procurator General and Permanent Secretary of the GLD.

Linklaters said: “Jonathan has unique experience of advising on public and constitutional law matters, as well as advising on complex matters of law, particularly in relation to the UK’s exit from the EU. He is also highly experienced in advising on dispute management strategy, EU law and the operations of Whitehall and Parliament, including its committees.”

He will start his new position within the Dispute Resolution practice’s Public & Administrative Law Team from mid-March.

The law firm described Public & Administrative Law as “a crucial offering at Linklaters, with the current economic climate resulting in increased State intervention and new forms of regulation, both at national and supranational levels”.

It added that clients operating in regulated sectors sought its expertise in all fields of regulatory, administrative and environmental law, including State aid, public procurement as well as urban planning.

Michael Bennett, global head of Dispute Resolution at Linklaters, said: “Jonathan is a very welcome addition to our public law bench at Linklaters as we continue to invest in our offering to meet growing client demand. His highly impressive expertise and invaluable insights will be of great strategic benefit to both our clients and the firm.”