Education

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Doughty Street Chambers has a large team of specialist practitioners at all levels of seniority and covering all aspects of education and related law. Members of the Education Law Team appear predominantly on behalf of claimants and represent clients at all levels from tribunals to the Court of Appeal. The broad range of team members' expertise enables the interests of children to be considered in the round. When advising on educational matters on behalf of children we are well-placed to advise on other areas of law that affect the lives of children.

Particular focus is given to excluded children and those children with special educational needs. Team members regularly represent children who have been excluded from school or whose parents are in dispute with the local authority about admission to school. The team has also been active in the areas of school reorganisation, higher education and further education.

In addition to these areas of public law the team also advises and represents children who have educational negligence claims.

Doughty Street Chambers has a long-established reputation as a leading public law and human rights chambers of which education practitioners form a significant part. We work with a range of law and advice centres as well as legal aid practices providing a full range of advice and representation.

Among the recent cases in which individual practitioners have appeared are R(L)-v-Governors of J School (reinstatement of excluded pupils), Phelps-v-Hillingdon LBC (liability of local authority for negligent failure to diagnose dyslexia) R (G) v Westminster City Council (duty to provide education for children out of school), R v Roman Catholic Schools ex parte S (quality of evidence at exclusion appeal hearings), R v Birmingham City Council ex parte B (reasons for admission decisions), R v University of Central England ex parte Sandhu (university marking procedures), and London Borough of Bromley v. Special Educational Needs Tribunal (whether physiotherapy, occupational therapy or speech therapy constitute educational provision)

Individual practitioners within the team regularly lecture on education law and related subjects and have close links with all the education law organisations. Many team members are listed in the leading legal directories as experts in public and administrative law, human rights and local government. Nick Bowen and Ian Wise are recognised in the Chambers & Partners Guide as leaders at the Bar in Education Law.

Team Members

What the Directories say

Legal 500, 2007

Claimant human rights and criminal set Doughty Street Chambers regularly deals with educational issues. Among those with experience in the sector are: Nicholas Bowen, whose has worked on disability discrimination, SEN, school transport and educational negligence cases; 'solid advocate' Ian Wise; and Althea Brown, who is 'very knowledgeable on special educational needs and discrimination, warms to clients and has a very good understanding of the law'.

Chambers & Partners Guide to the Legal Profession, 2007

Peers endorsed Nicholas Bowen at Doughty Street Chambers as an "energetic opponent with a formidable intellect." He makes a particular impression in court, where he is "great at sniffing out a point in the face of a complex case".

Ian Wise of Doughty Street Chambers is a "diligent and effective advocate" who is pleasant to deal with, said solicitors.

"Clients absolutely adore" Althea Brown of Doughty Street Chambers, describing her as "very pro-active and down to earth". She has developed a specialist practice in employment, discrimination and education law and acts for claimants.

Legal 500, 2006

Claimant set Doughty Street Chambers regularly deals with educational issues, with Nicholas Bowen and Ian Wise in particular singled out for their work.