Education Law

The education law team at Old Square Chambers provides expert advice and representation in all types of education dispute. Our expertise in education law overlaps with our strengths in complementary areas of law such as employment and discrimination law, human rights, public law and professional discipline. We have an in-depth knowledge of the education sector and the challenges in the education world, and we have an appreciation of the specific needs of our clients.

We appear in all courts, tribunals and internal panels where education issues arise, from the First-Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) to the Supreme Court.

We act for a wide variety of clients, including universities, colleges, independent schools, maintained schools, and local authorities, as well as parents, pupils, university students, teaching unions, and education professionals such as professors, lecturers, headteachers and teachers. We accept instructions on a direct access basis.

Among our education law team we count KCs, barristers ranked in the legal directories as leading individuals in education law and related areas of law, a director of the Education Law Association, panel counsel for the Equality and Human Rights Commission, members of the Attorney-General’s Panel of Counsel, mediators, legal assessors, a Chair of Independent Appeal Panels for school admission appeals, and a Chair of Independent Review Panels for school exclusion reviews.

Barristers specialising in Education Law

Our expertise includes:

Admissions and exclusions
Breach of contract claims
Discrimination on grounds of disability, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, sex, and sexual orientation
Educational negligence claims
Employment issues in schools and universities
Examination disputes
Fitness to practise cases in relation to medical students and nursing students
Human rights
Independent schools
Judicial reviews involving local authorities
Local authorities’ duties
Parental complaints
Safeguarding
School funding
School governance
School transport
Special Educational Needs disputes
Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) proceedings for teachers in England and Education Workforce Council (EWC) proceedings for teachers in Wales
University internal procedures, including appeals

Fee charging model

There are various different fee charging models available and these will vary according to each individual case. Wherever possible costs will be agreed in writing prior to commencement of any work by the barrister.

One of the fee structures commonly used for cases in Education Law cases is a fixed fee. This means that, wherever possible, we will quote a fee in advance of the work being carried out. For hearings we typically charge a brief fee which includes counsel’s preparation for the hearing and attendance at the first day of the hearing. A refresher fee will be charged for each subsequent sitting day.

Please see below estimates based on the ranges of fixed fees and brief fees for barristers at Old Square Chambers in ordinary Education Law cases.

Item	Range of fees (estimate)
Hourly rate	£75 to £750 plus VAT
Written advice	£250 to £5,000 plus VAT
Advising in conference	£500 to £5,000 plus VAT
Brief fee for Case Management Hearing in London region	£500 to £5,000 plus VAT
Brief fee for 1 day hearing in London region	£1,000 to £15,000 plus VAT
Brief fee for 2 day hearing in London region	£2,000 to £220,000 plus VAT
Refresher fee	£500 to £6,000 plus VAT

Wherever possible, we will endeavour to achieve the timescales outlined, or any other reasonable timescales agreed at the time of accepting the instructions. Timescales may vary depending on factors such as barristers’ availability, the complexity of your case, the need for additional documents and the other side’s approach. Chambers will, wherever possible, endeavour to provide advice and representation that meets and exceeds the needs of our clients. Unforeseeable factors such as tribunal/court delays, cases overrunning, barrister illness and other factors outside of our control could cause delays. We will always endeavour to work with you to ensure we meet and exceed your expectations wherever possible. Where it is not possible, we will ensure we communicate clearly and regularly with you to guide you through any challenges.