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Our story
Who knew resisting hate and bringing hope was so radical?
When Theresa May tried to keep parliament out of decisions about Brexit, Jo Maugham founded Good Law Project.
Powered by people across the UK, we built alliances to challenge the government in the Supreme Court – and won.
This way of working puts the law into the hands of the people, so that together we can hold power to account.
As Covid struck, we started hearing hints and rumours of a fast-track system for handing massive contracts to Tory friends and supporters. We set up an investigation team, revealed dodgy deals for billions of pounds and challenged the government in the High Court, which ruled the VIP lane was unlawful.
There are many ways to win, both inside and outside the courtroom. We revealed a surge of dark money funnelled into an anti-abortion pressure group linked to Reform UK. More than 35,000 of us took a stand with Misan Hariman against a rightwing media smear campaign. And GB News took a discussion show off air after more than 70,000 of us complained about homophobic hate.
We work with politicians, newspapers and campaigners alike to broaden our reach and our impact. And we raise the voices of people pushed to the margins to help them take the power of the law into their own hands.
Here are some of the campaigns we’ve fought to resist hate and bring hope.
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2026
Are the police doing enough to protect women?
When Nina reported a sexual assault, Northumbria Police brushed her aside. With Good Law Project’s support, she fought back and won.
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2026
Can you bully journalists into silence through the courts?
We successfully defended award-winning journalist Dan Neidle from an ‘oppressive’ claim which tried to silence him
WIN: High Court throws out £8m lawsuit over tax avoidance investigationWIN: High Court throws out £8m lawsuit over tax avoidance investigation
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2025
Do trans people have the right to have a family?
High Court rules that a trans man cannot be denied a gender recognition certificate because he is trying to conceive.
WIN: Victory in landmark case on gender recognitionWIN: Victory in landmark case on gender recognition
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2025
What if TV channels broadcast hate speech?
More than 70,000 people complained to Ofcom about a discussion show on GB News which broadcast a dangerous lie about LGBTQ+ people. The channel folded following the pressure from Good Law Project and our supporters and took the show off air.
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2024
Can water companies be brought to book over sewage dumping?
United Utilities argued they couldn’t be sued over pollution. We won in the Supreme Court, so water companies can be held to account.
Water companies could face raft of legal challenges after landmark sewage rulingWater companies could face raft of legal challenges after landmark sewage ruling
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2023
Was the VIP lane value for money?
We revealed that fast-track contracts handed out to Tory connections were 80% more expensive than other suppliers.
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2022
Are ministers really tackling the climate crisis?
The High Court ruled that the government’s strategy to reach net zero was inadequate and vague, and required them to put together an updated policy.
We won: Government’s Net Zero Strategy is unlawfulWe won: Government’s Net Zero Strategy is unlawful
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2021
Are healthcare decisions a matter for doctors and patients?
We stood up for the rights of doctors and young people to make decisions about their health and won in the Court of Appeal.
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2020
Can the government steer contracts to friends and supporters?
We revealed the Tories were handing out billions of pounds through a fast-track VIP lane, which the High Court ruled was unlawful.
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2019
Can the government shut down debate in parliament?
We established in the Supreme Court that Boris Johnson couldn’t close parliament at the height of the crisis over Brexit.
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2017
Does parliament have a say over Brexit?
Supported by people across the UK, we teamed up with Gina Miller and won in the Supreme Court.