News & Events
News & Events
The Legal 500 2025 rankings have just been announced and Outer Temple Chambers is delighted with another year of excellent results including a Tier 1 Pensions ranking We are proud to announce that we have been recognised as a Top Tier Set in Crypto & Blockchain Assets again, as well as achieving a Top Tier Set ranking in Pensions. These Tier 1 rankings mean we are now ranked for excellence in nine practice area rankings with 73 individual members ranked across 27 practice areas. A huge congratulations to all of our barristers and clerks within these teams for another year of excellent results. A particular thank you to all our clients and colleagues for taking the time to provide references.…
News 2 Oct, 2024
Education Law Specialist, Alex Line, has recently been involved in an important Upper Tribunal decision concerning families of armed forces personnel who have children with special educational needs. Alex Line recently appeared in the Upper Tribunal in Hampshire County Council v GC & GC [2024] UKUT 128 (AAC), acting for the local authority. This is an important case (described by Upper Tribunal Judge West in his decision as a ‘test case’) concerning a family who moved to Dubai for two years because the father was deployed there as part of his naval service. The local authority ceased to maintain their child’s EHC Plan pursuant to s.45 of the Children and Families Act 2014, on the basis that the family were…
News 5 Jun, 2024
Alex Line, instructed by the government legal department, recently represented the Secretary of State for Education in Averre-Beeson v Secretary of State for Education [2024] UKFTT 00385 (HESC). This was an appeal under s.129 of the Education and Skills Act 2008, which went to the Health, Education and Social Care Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal (in its Care Standards jurisdiction). These were long running proceedings emanating from a high profile and widely reported collapse of a large multi-academy trust. The Appellant, a well-known figure in the schools industry, held various positions of responsibility within the trust. Following the trust’s demise, the Department for Education investigated concerns into his conduct including relating to the nature and propriety of the commercial relationships…
News 24 May, 2024
![The Upper Tribunal has recently handed down judgment on the case of Governing Body of T School v AA and RA [2023] UKUT 311 (AAC). Education law specialist, Alex Line, represented the appellant in this case concerning disability discrimination in schools.](https://www.outertemple.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Alex-Line-successful-in-Upper-Tribunal-appeal-concerning-disability-discrimination-in-schools-1-1-550x370.png)
The Upper Tribunal has recently handed down judgment on the case of Governing Body of T School v AA and RA [2023] UKUT 311 (AAC). Education law specialist, Alex Line, represented the appellant in this case concerning disability discrimination in schools. In Governing Body of T School v AA and RA [2023] UKUT 311 (AAC), Alex Line represented the successful appellant in a case which provides important analysis of the time limit provisions of the Equality Act 2010 concerning schools (a point covered extensively in relation to Employment Tribunal jurisdiction, but hitherto not in relation to the First-tier Tribunal’s jurisdiction under that Act). The primary time limit for bringing a claim for disability discrimination against the governing body of a…
News 1 Mar, 2024
The High Court has recently handed down judgment in an important case relating to school admissions arrangements, and the Office of the School Adjudicator’s (‘OSA’) functions when considering complaints about them. Alex Line acted for London Borough of Bromley. Alex Line acted for the second Interested Party, London Borough of Bromley, in a judicial review that was brought against the OSA by Mr Sharpe. Another interested party, the Impact Multi Academy Trust (which was the admissions authority in relation to the schools considered in the case) was also involved. The Secretary of State for Education intervened. The decision can be viewed here: Robert Sharp, R (on the application of) v The Office of the Schools Adjudicator. The case, had it…
News 26 May, 2023
We are delighted to announce that Paul Rogers has been appointed as a Fee Paid Judge of the First Tier Tribunal. He will be assigned to the Health, Education and Social Care Chamber. Appointed after a competitive process, he is now authorised to sit in the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Tribunal. This adds to his recent appointment as an Assistant Coroner. Paul remains in full time practice, and as a specialist in Health & Safety matters both in the Coronial Courts and in Criminal Enforcement action. Paul Rogers’ practice Paul has a proven track record in handling complex investigations, trials and appeals as lead counsel, at both the domestic and international level. He represents company directors and individuals charged…
News 8 Mar, 2023
In A Parent v Governing Body of XYZ School, Alex Line successfully represented the Defendant in a judicial review challenging a school exclusion decision, which has been dismissed by the High Court. The case concerned A Pupil, who had been permanently excluded from a maintained school for sending obscene images of a sexual nature to a younger female pupil from his mobile phone. This was against a background whereby the female pupil had made disclosures alleging serious sexual misconduct towards her by a number of pupils, including A Pupil, which had been referred to the police for investigation. The Head Teacher’s decision to exclude had initially been upheld by the school’s governing body. A Pupil’s parent then exercised her right…
News 16 May, 2022
Alex Line was recently successful in an important Upper Tribunal appeal, JL (by EA as appointed person) v Somerset County Council. This appeal concerned the duration of an Education Health Care Plan and the reasons for the decision have now been published. The Background In JL (by EA as appointed person) v Somerset County Council [2021] UKUT 324 (AAC), Alex successfully represented the appellant. On 25 August 2021, Upper Tribunal Judge Ward gave a decision allowing the appeal and set aside the decision of the First-tier Tribunal. This case is of importance because it contains consideration of the meaning of the term ‘academic year’ and establishes that, in certain situations, an Education Health Care Plan can extend to the day…
News 13 Jan, 2022
Following the case of Surrey CC v NHS Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group (2020), Alexander Line and Carin Hunt consider how the claim in restitution is of importance to those advising and representing local authorities. Analysing Surrey CC v Lincolnshire CCG, Alexander and Carin consider the law on unjust enrichment and the four key elements to a claim for unjust enrichment in their most recent article. The authors also consider the Clinical Commissioning Group’s defence of invoking the exclusivity principle laid down in O’Reilly v Mackman [1983] 2 A.C. 237. Considering the decision of the High Court, Alex and Carin contemplate the potential consequences for education law, including the restitution for costs incurred by public bodies and restitution for costs incurred…
Legal Blogs 10 Feb, 2021
A Level, GCSE and other exam results are currently being published but what effect has the pandemic had on results? Alex Line considers what is known about the recent policy decisions affecting students this summer, and analyses their potential impact from a legal perspective. A Level results were published today, with GCSE results due to be published soon after on 20th August 2020. As has been widely reported, significant changes to the examination process have been implemented at short notice due to the impact of Coronavirus. Alex Line considers what is known about the recent policy decisions affecting students this summer, and analyses their potential impact from a legal perspective. Article The article can be read here. About the Author Alex…
Covid-19 13 Aug, 2020
An independent group of barristers are providing a forum, chaired by OTC, for BPTC students to discuss and get advice about the difficulties encountered taking their exams this summer. The Bar Standards Board (BSB) exams have not gone well so far this year, first being postponed due to Covid-19, then suffering technical problems during the online exams. Back in May, the BSB announced that the centralised assessments on the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) and the Bar Transfer test (BTT) would be offered as computer based exams in August after the April exams had to be cancelled. Pearson VUE’s OnVUE secure global online proctoring solution was supposed to enable students and transferring qualified lawyers to sit the exams remotely. However…
Events 13 Aug, 2020
We are delighted to announce that Alexander Line has been appointed to the Attorney General’s C panel. Alex’s appointment starts on 2 September and runs for five years. Government relies on the panels for advice, guidance and representation which means that Alex, ranked by Chambers & Partners for his expertise, will be available to carry out work for the Crown across his main areas of practice of public law and employment law. Alexander is a civil practitioner, whose practice is focused particularly on the areas of education, social welfare, court of protection, public law, employment and discrimination. He regularly appears in employment tribunals, county courts and different chambers of the First-Tier Tribunal. He also has High Court, Employment Appeal Tribunal,…
News 17 Jul, 2019
