Alex specialises in the areas of employment and education law. He has extensive employment and discrimination law experience, having practised in these areas throughout his career at the Bar. He has a broad range of experience in education law matters, with particular expertise in the law relating to special educational needs. He is also well placed to assist with public law cases affecting these and associated areas. Alex has a busy advisory and advocacy practice, regularly appearing in the Employment Tribunal, County Court and the First-Tier Tribunal. He also has High Court, Employment Appeal Tribunal, Upper Tribunal, and Court of Appeal experience. He has been appointed to the Attorney General’s panel of counsel to the Crown (C Panel) and the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s panel of counsel (B Panel).
Alex has significant experience of representing both claimants and respondents in Employment Tribunal proceedings ranging from providing strategic advice, attending preliminary hearings, through to undertaking complex multi-week trials. He has experience of appearing before the EAT and the Court of Appeal in employment cases.
In the case of J v K & Another [2019] EWCA Civ 5, which concerned the EAT’s discretion to consider an out of time appeal brought by a disabled litigant, Underhill LJ described Alex’s written submissions as “exemplary” and his oral submissions as “of high quality”. His EAT experience includes Amaryllis v McLeod & Others UKEAT/0273/15/RN and Sole (Vale) v Jaggers UKEAT/0218/16/DA. Alex’s experience before the Employment Tribunal covers the range of claims which arise in employment litigation including unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing, employment status, detriments, and TUPE.
Alex has represented clients in a broad range of sectors including local government, health, social care, construction, legal services, charities, banking, and retail amongst others. He has particular experience of the education sector as a consequence of his education law practice. He has been instructed in a number of cases involving teachers, members of university academic staff, schools, f colleges and universities.
Examples of Alex’s work include:
Alex has a broad range of experience in education law, covering areas including special educational needs, admissions and exclusions, safeguarding, civil and public law claims involving schools, colleges, universities and local authorities, internal appeals before university panels, complaints to the Office for the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, internal hearings before school governing bodies, and fitness to practice issues affecting students and teaching staff.
Alex has particular expertise of statutory appeals within the jurisdiction of the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs & Disability). Having represented both appellants and local authorities in numerous statutory appeals under the Children and Families Act 2014 (and previously under the Education Act 1996), Alex is an experienced tribunal advocate and is adept at providing pragmatic strategic advice in SEND litigation. He also has a depth of experience in the area of disability discrimination within the First-tier Tribunal’s jurisdiction (and of discrimination law generally, arising from his employment practice).
Alex is highly experienced in the area of school exclusions, in particular public law challenges arising in this area. He acted for the Claimant in R (CR) v Independent Review Panel of London Borough of Lambeth [2014] EWHC 2461 (Admin), which was the first judicial review of an IRP’s decision under the current DfE statutory guidance for school exclusions, and remains a leading case.
Alex has experience of cases where issues of education, health and social care overlap. He acted as counsel for the claimant in R (JF) v London Borough of Merton [2017] EWHC 1519, a successful challenge under the Care Act 2014 to a local authority’s attempt to move a young person with autism away from a highly specialist residential setting. He has also successfully advised and represented claimants in judicial review proceedings under section 19 of the Education Act 1996.
Examples of Alex’s work include:
Alex’s public law work is focused principally on the areas of education, community care, health, and mental capacity. He has significant experience of judicial review litigation, including:
Alex has experience in the court of protection concerning health and welfare and property and affairs jurisdictions. He has received instructions from the Official Solicitor, local authorities, family members, health bodies, and the Public Guardian. He has experience of cases involving decisions relating to care, residence and contact; appointment and removal of deputies; medical treatment decisions; deprivation of liberty challenges; and human rights.
Examples of Alex’s work include:
Alexander Line is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please click here.
To find out more, contact Paul Barton on +44 (0)207 427 4907 or Chris Rowe on +44 (0)207 427 4911 for a confidential discussion.
Our dedicated practice management team can help you identify the right barrister for your case.