Public Law Project (PLP) is one of the UK’s most respected legal and social justice charities, working to advance fairness through public law. From holding the government to account over the Windrush scandal to challenging the legality of the Rwanda deportation scheme, PLP stands at the forefront of some of the UK’s most critical legal debates. As it entered a new phase of strategic delivery and external positioning, PLP sought an Interim Chief Executive Officer to lead during a pivotal period of parental leave cover.
This was a crucial appointment, not only to maintain continuity but to actively lead the implementation of a bold new strategy, strengthen internal capability and champion PLP’s external voice across the legal and social justice landscape.
Context.
This appointment came at a moment of organisational energy and change. With a refreshed Board, several new team members and a bold strategic direction, PLP was looking for someone who could provide clarity, cohesion and momentum. The interim CEO would need to be handson and purpose driven, leading a skilled team through complexity while keeping the focus on culture, impact and inclusion.
Key priorities included building organisational capability, strengthening external positioning and nurturing high value relationships with funders. Fundraising and visibility were high on the agenda, as was ensuring PLP remained agile and responsive to the shifting legal and political context. It was also important that the new leader could empower others, creating space for the senior team to grow and thrive.
PLP was open to a range of professional backgrounds and was clear that deep legal expertisewas not essential. What mattered most was someone who could lead with maturity, integrityand care and who shared the organisation’s commitment to justice and equity.
Brief.
Peridot was proud to be appointed to lead this important search, with James Hunt, our Head of Not for Profit Appointments, working closely with the outgoing CEO, Chair, Trustees and senior staff. Together, we shaped a brief for an emotionally intelligent and strategic leader, capable of delivering through others and holding the trust of a values-led team.
We looked for a track record of leadership in mission driven contexts, alongside a deep commitment to inclusion and organisational well-being. Candidates needed to be confident fundraisers, experienced in governance and able to navigate legal and policy spaces with credibility and insight. Our search focused on surfacing individuals with lived experience and a passion for social justice. We engaged widely across legal, policy, campaigning and civil society networks, ensuring we reached beyond the usual pools and connected with candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. We focused not only on technical fit but on alignment with PLP’s culture and aspirations.
Outcome.
We were delighted to support PLP in appointing Jamie Peters as Interim Chief Executive. Jamie is an experienced and strategic leader in the social justice and environmental sectors, with a long track record of delivering impactful change across litigation, campaigning andorganisational strategy.
Jamie stepped into the Interim CEO role from Friends of the Earth, where he had served as Interim CEO, Director of Campaign Impact and Special Projects Lead. At FoE, he led large teams, shaped national campaigns and secured major wins in the High Court and the Supreme Court.
His leadership is defined by clarity, collaboration and purpose. Jamie is a visible and values driven leader, trusted by funders, respected across the sector and committed to empowering others. He has personally cultivated relationships that brought in millions in funding, strengthened organisational resilience and connected grassroots voices to national legal action.
Jamie brings a strong understanding of governance, having reported to dual boards and led regulatory engagement with multiple bodies. His work is grounded in equity and inclusion, witha focus on building psychologically safe cultures where people can bring their whole selves anddo their best work.
From the outset, Jamie impressed with his warmth, humility and sense of shared purpose. He understood PLP’s mission and was energised by the opportunity to help shape the next phase of its journey.
Jamie Peters, Interim CEO, said:
It is a privilege to join Public Law Project, a highly respected organisation whose work defending fundamental rights and holding power to account is absolutely vital. In an increasingly challenging world, protecting public law so that justice is served matters even more today. I look forward to working with the exceptional team and Board of Trustees to advance PLP’s mission of promoting fairness and justice through the law. I also want to thank Shameem for her outstanding leadership and wish her all the best for her exciting new chapter.
Jonathan Senker, Chair, Public Law Project, commented:
The role we were recruiting for was both vitally important and highly demanding. We needed an Interim CEO who could not only provide excellent leadership while our outstanding CEO was on a year’s parental leave, but also someone with the capability to implement a newly agreed, ambitious strategy and steer the organisation through a volatile climate.
James and the Peridot team took the time to understand our needs in depth. They brought a strong grasp of the candidate market, reached out widely, and introduced us to committed, well-briefed candidates who matched our requirements. Throughout the process, communication was clear and timely, and we had complete confidence that Peridot would combine insight with genuine care. It was a pleasure working with Peridot and we were delighted to make a great appointment from a strong field.
Peridot has become our regular recruitment partner for senior roles through your combination of insight, strong outreach, reliability (in a very good way), and simply being great to work with.
James Hunt of Peridot Partners reflected:
It was a privilege to partner with PLP on this appointment. The organisation’s values are lived every day by its people, and it was clear from the start that they needed someone who would show up without ego, bring others with them and lead with integrity. Jamie brings all ofthat and more. We are excited to see what he and the team will achieve together.
James Hunt is a senior executive search specialist with over two decades of experience connecting exceptional leaders with purpose-driven organisations.
As Head of Not for Profit Appointments at Peridot Partners, he has led 300 specialist, senior and board-level searches across the UK’s charity, membership and higher-education sectors.
