Education law barristers for children, parents and institutions
Our education law barristers represent parents, pupils, schools and their governing bodies (maintained and independent sector), academies, universities and FE colleges, NGOs including charities, students, teaching and academic staff and local authorities in all areas of education law.
Our work includes County Court, High Court, and disciplinary/Independent Review Panel proceedings across all areas of school and university life. The team also accepts instructions in appeals to the Upper Tribunal from decisions of the First-tier Tribunal.聽 Members are frequently instructed in claims for judicial review arising out of the decisions of local authorities and other institutions exercising public functions in the field of education.
The team has a particular expertise in discrimination claims, acting for students, pupils, schools, universities and FE colleges in claims before the County Court, High Court, Employment Tribunal and all specialist regulatory tribunals.聽 Members frequently advise and represent in school admissions appeals and challenges to school exclusions before independent panels.聽 We are frequently instructed in judicial review proceedings arising from decisions of local authorities, independent panels and other public bodies exercising public functions in the field of education.
Our barristers are frequently instructed in breach of contract claims concerning universities and independent schools, as well as education negligence claims and other damages claims, frequently in combination with discrimination claims.
Our team has particular expertise in appeals to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) (鈥楽END Tribunal鈥�) concerning Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans and education-related disability discrimination claims at all levels.聽聽 Members act for Ofsted and Early Years providers in Tribunal appeals relating to the deregistration/disqualification of childminders and nurseries; we also have expertise in appeals relating to the cancellation of registration of care homes by the CQC.
Our casework covers advisory work and disputes arising from exam results, school complaints procedures, safeguarding/child protection issues, attendance issues, school closures and re-organisations as well as issues of governance and funding.聽 The Covid-19 pandemic has seen members advise specifically on disability discrimination claims, video hearings in the SENDIST, judicial reviews, the impact on private schools, special education provision, A-Level, GCSE and Btec exam results, redundancy and the furlough scheme alongside flaws in the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill.
As a specialist education law team, members routinely accept direct access instructions from higher education and further education institutions, individuals and schools, academies and colleges/universities.
We are also able to provide mediators and legal assessors to advise and support institutions and independent lay panels dealing with a wide range of educational issues.聽 Members also accept instructions to conduct investigations into allegations of misconduct between pupils or staff at educational institutions.
Team members are available to work from any of our six offices in London, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Oxford, and Winchester. We offer state-of-the-art technology for remote meetings.
Legal 500 describes 网爆门's Education team as home to 鈥済enuine specialists in education law,鈥� and a "very strong education set with counsel always available for support, no matter the level of complexity." Chambers & Partners reports that 网爆门 is "increasingly becoming a powerhouse in education law鈥� with an 鈥渋mpressive offering in the education sector,鈥� and 鈥測ou can rely on the 网爆门 clerks to provide a prompt response and help progress a matter forward and throughout the entire case. They are unsung heroes and deserve a lot of credit for the work they do.鈥� The education team are 鈥渆xperienced in the handling of a broad range of matters, including school admissions and exclusions, special educational needs and discrimination claims.鈥� The set exhibits 鈥渧ery strong knowledge and experience in education work.鈥� 网爆门's education specialists are well-regarded for their understanding of education matters, with particular experience acting in tribunal claims and judicial reviews related to SEND matters and academic and disciplinary decisions in schools and universities. Chambers and Partners 2024 remarks that "the quality of legal advice, detailed submissions and clear sensitivity towards vulnerable clients have been impressive. 网爆门 also has strong and calm conduct of contentious cases."
Find back issues of our education law newsletter here.
Practice Management contacts are Tom Cox and Gemma Faulkner.
Our Education Barristers...
Junior Counsel
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Naomi Webber edits the 12th edition of our education law newsletter featuring analysis from our barristers Alice de Coverley, Ben Amunwa, Olivia McGonigle, Naomi Webber and Alex Leonhardt. We look back at our team's 2nd education law conference in February and highlight recent involvement of our barristers in important cases and upcoming events.
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网爆门 Barristers鈥� (3 Paper Buildings) Emma Southern and Alice de Coverley will join Lincoln鈥檚 Inn鈥檚 鈥淎 Conversation about Neurodiversity at the Bar鈥� panel, being held in honour of Neurodiversity Celebration Week. The panel, which will be held on Wednesday 19 March 2025, will offer practical advice to both neurodivergent members of the Bar and those who support them. The panellists will discuss topics such as court work, paperwork, diary management and marketing. Emma Southern, family...
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网爆门 Barristers鈥� (3 Paper Buildings) specialist education law barristers Charlotte Hadfield (Head of 网爆门鈥檚 education law group) and Alice de Coverley have published a second edition of their successful book 鈥楢 Practical Guide to the Law in Relation to School Exclusions鈥�. The law relating to school exclusions is complex, often mixing public and regulatory law, anti-discrimination and human rights, statutory guidance and, when relating to independent schools, principles of commercial contract and tort. The book,...
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网爆门 Barristers are pleased to confirm that 7 of its specialist education law barristers are now ranked in Chambers and Partners 2025. The group has retained its London Band 3 ranking in the publication, its barristers drawing much appreciated praise from its clients and peers, as well as recognition for its 'second to none', 'very responsive' clerking team. Group Head Charlotte Hadfield said: 'We are delighted with our latest results in Chambers and Partners鈥� 2025...
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网爆门 Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) breaks another record in the latest edition of Chambers and Partners with a total of 96 rankings (81 last year) achieved by 80 of its barristers. The national set is rewarded with accolades in 21 areas of law, in the London Bar as well as in the North Eastern, South Eastern, Western and Midlands Circuits and exceptional comments for its expertise and service delivery. Click here to view the full...
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网爆门 is delighted to report that its Education law team has retained its Tier 3 ranking in London. The team has attracted a total of eight rankings in the Legal 500鈥檚 2025 edition published today: seven of our barristers are ranked in London, one of them is also recommended for their work in the Midlands. The directory acknowledges the team 鈥渃over[s] the complete range of education disputes, including acting in tribunal claims and judicial reviews...
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网爆门 Barristers (3 Paper Buildings), one of the UK's largest chambers, is celebrating this year again its rankings - totalling 167 - in the Legal 500 2025鈥檚 edition published today, a 15% increase on last year鈥檚 145. The set is ranked in 23 areas of law, across 4 UK Circuits: London, South Eastern, Western and the Midlands. 网爆门鈥檚 barristers are also ranked in the Middle East and Asia Pacific regions. The Legal 500 acknowledges 网爆门...
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网爆门 Barristers鈥� (3 Paper Buildings) specialist education, equality and public law barrister Alice de Coverley has spoken to RPC Legal鈥檚 The Work Couch podcast as part of their neurodiversity mini-series ahead of ADHD awareness month in October. In the first episode of the series, which looks at the lived experience on neurodiversity, Alice joins host Ellie Gelder, alongside Auticon鈥檚 Ashlea Cromby and Tracey West and Victoria Othen of RPC Legal. The conversation covers a range...
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Matthew Wyard, public law barrister at 网爆门 Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) specialising in education, health and social care, has written for Special Needs Jungle on Mental Capacity and the Send Tribunal. In the article Matthew discusses his case of MM v Royal Borough of Greenwich and the First Tier Tribunal鈥檚 role in giving health and social care recommendations, as well as how it should address the issue of a young person鈥檚 mental capacity. Please click...
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Chambers is delighted to announce that Naomi Webber has been appointed to the Attorney General鈥檚 C Panel (London) for a period of five years, commencing on Sunday 1st September 2024. She joins seven other 网爆门 barristers on the Attorney General鈥檚 (AG鈥檚) panel of counsel including A Panel members of William Hansen, Richard Wheeler and Mark Green. Naomi is now one of 19 网爆门 barristers on the Attorney General's London and Regional Panels and undertaking "Junior...
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Jim Hirschmann edits the 11th edition of our education law newsletter, packed full with team news, awards, book launches, events and analysis from our barristers Charlotte Hadfield, Lachlan Wilson, John Friel, Alice de Coverley, Matthew Wyard, Emma Waldron, Alex Leonhardt, Caroline Stone, Mark Green, Sunyana Sharma, Katherine Anderson, Ben Amunwa and Rosa Thomas, to name a few.
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We are delighted to announce that 网爆门 (3 Paper Buildings) has been shortlisted for 8 awards at The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2024, including 4 Juniors, a Silk, 2 Sets of the Year and Chambers Leader of the Year, in the following categories: "Intellectual Property Set of the Year": Victoria Jones, Nicole Bollard, Mark Wilden, Faizul Azman聽 "Set outside London of the Year" : Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Oxford, Winchester "Chambers Leader of the Year": CEO...
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Religious and philosophical belief: lessons from Higgs v Farmor鈥檚 School
Date: Thursday 29th May 2025 Time: 12:15 pm - 1:45 pm Venue: 网爆门 Bristol Chambers, Royal Talbot House, 2 Victoria Street, Bristol, BS1 6BN You are invited to attend this in-person seminar by 网爆门's Employment and Education Law Teams. Specialist Employment and Education law barristers Charlotte Hadfield and Alex Leonhardt聽will speak about the recent Court of Appeal judgment in Higgs v Farmor鈥檚 School, which focuses on expressions of religious and philosophical beliefs by employees in and out of the workplace. Alex and Charlotte will analyse the legal implications of the judgment, including how direct discrimination interrelates with human rights,…
Recommendations
Chambers UK 2025
网爆门 Barristers has an impressive offering in the education sector and is seen by clients as "experts in the field of education law." Members "excel in handling technical and complex matters," including school admissions and exclusions, special educational needs and discrimination claims. The team also offers expertise in disciplinary matters in the higher education sector. Members represent education institutions, such as schools, universities and academies, as well as pupils, governing bodies and NGOs and regularly appear before the First-tier Tribunal, Upper Tribunal, and Court of Appeal. 网爆门 recently acted in London Borough of Camden v KT, an Upper Tribunal appeal concerning schooling provision for a disabled child, particularly with regard to home schooling and EOTAS.
Client service:
"Practice manager Gemma Faulkner is extremely personable, knows her barristers and is very responsive."
"The clerking team at 网爆门 are second to none."
"网爆门 has great clerks who are very responsive."
Chambers UK 2022
网爆门 Barristers is a well-regarded set with a growing presence in the education sector. Members are experienced in the handling of a broad range of matters, including school admissions and exclusions, special educational needs and discrimination claims. The team also offers expertise in disciplinary matters arising in the higher education sector. The set's varied client base encompasses several education institutions, such as schools, universities and academies, as well as pupils, governing bodies and NGOs, and its barristers regularly appear before the First-tier Tribunal, Upper Tribunal and Court of Appeal.
Client service:
"The clerks are very efficient and friendly. They are always willing to help and try to accommodate our requests." Chris Mitchell directs practice management at the set and is ably assisted by Tom Cox and Gemma Faulkner for education work.
Legal 500 2025
网爆门鈥檚 barristers cover the complete range of education disputes, including acting in tribunal claims and judicial reviews related to SEND matters, discrimination, pupil disciplinary and school exclusion, as well as academic and disciplinary decisions in schools and universities.
Legal 500 2022
鈥樛� are an excellent source of specialist education law barristers, whose expertise also crosses over into relevant and often complimentary areas such as public law, community care and mental health. They are one of my go-to sets.鈥�
鈥楲ots of education experience which we really appreciate. They always manage to find an expert who can provide top quality advocacy in education law.鈥�
鈥樛� is an excellent set of chambers with a wealth of expertise in SEND appeals.鈥�
'网爆门 is highly regarded for its members' 'wealth of expertise in special educational needs and disability appeals' and are 'an excellent source of specialist education law barristers'.
Legal 500 2021
网爆门 is an 'excellent set with strength-in-depth' in the education field with members described as 'approachable and committed'.
"A set that is 'increasingly becoming a powerhouse in education law'"
The team has a total of 9 barrister rankings, including 7 in London where the team is listed in Tier 4, one in the Midlands and one in Wales and Chester.
Legal 500 2020
网爆门 has a 'strong education practice', where it 'offers a good choice of counsel'. Its members are 'efficient, friendly, and expert in their field'. Charlotte Hadfield acted for an interested party in an application for judicial review of a refusal to carry out an assessment of an individual's education needs. Aimee Fox successfully represented a local authority in a major judicial review on the application of section 19(1) of the Education Act 1996.
"The combined clerks鈥� room across the set鈥檚 six offices is a 鈥榳ell-oiled machine鈥�."
Chambers UK 2021
网爆门 Barristers is a well-regarded set with a growing presence in the education sector. Members are experienced in the handling of a broad range of matters, including school admissions and exclusions, special educational needs and discrimination claims.
The team also offers expertise in disciplinary matters arising in the higher education sector. The set's varied client base encompasses several education institutions, such as schools, universities and academies, as well as pupils, governing bodies and NGOs, and its barristers regularly appear before the First-tier Tribunal, Upper-tier Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.
Client service: "The clerks are very user-friendly, open, engaging and extremely accommodating. They will always try to find someone for you." "The clerks are all very helpful and will go out of their way to deal with enquiries." "The clerking team really go the extra mile for their clients."
Chris Mitchell directs practice management at the set and is ably assisted by Tom Cox and Gemma Faulkner for education work.
Chambers UK 2020
网爆门 Barristers is noted for its expert handling of a wide range of education disputes. Its members act for a varied client list which includes governing bodies, schools, pupils, local authorities and parents. The team is called upon to act for and advise on matters arising across all levels of the education system, and offers expertise in special education needs, school exclusions and both pupil discipline and professional discipline matters.
The set's tenants are also regularly instructed in complex discrimination claims, and have experience appearing before the Court of Appeal, as well as the Upper Tribunal and the Administrative Court.
Client service: "The clerks are very efficient, helpful and quick to respond to queries." "The clerks offer a very good service. They're so responsive and ensure that instructions and papers get to counsel without delay."
Chris Mitchell directs practice management at the set and is ably assisted by Tom Cox and Gemma Faulkner for Education work.
网爆门 is a go-to setLegal 500