Public/Administrative Law

Education Law

Fully accredited to receive direct access instructions, Robert provides advice and representation to parents, local authorities and other interested bodies in relation to such issues as SEN, disability discrimination, bullying, school admissions, exclusions, educational negligence, transport, fees and the duties of teachers, schools and local authorities.

He routinely appears in the First–tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) and before admissions & exclusions appeal panels.

Robert has acted as a legal adviser to an independent admissions appeal panel.

Robert has lectured to local authorities on updates in admissions and exclusions law, special educational needs, the Academies Act 2010 and discrimination.

Robert’s most recent Education Law experience includes:

• Providing advice on the merits of judicial review to parents whose child had been excluded after a ‘one off’ incident.

• Acting as legal adviser to a local authority’s admissions appeal panel over the course of a number of sittings.

• Providing advice to a local authority on the implications of the belonging regulations 1996 in a dispute where a child resided in one authority’s area but was educated in another.

• Acting on behalf of a respondent Local Authority before the First–tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) in relation to an exclusions matter where the child, suffering with ASC was expelled for assaulting a member of staff.

• Providing advice and representation to the mother of autistic twins against whom the Local Authority was seeking an Education Supervision Order. Robert accepted these instructions under the Direct Access provisions.

• Providing advice and representation to a child minder whose registration as such had been revoked by Ofsted. This case involved the testing of elements of the new Tribunal Rules before the Upper-Tier Tribunal. Again this was a case undertaken under the Direct Access provisions.

• Acting on behalf of a respondent Local Authority before the First–tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability). Robert successfully opposed a parental challenge to have an SEN Statement maintained at a private faith school where the parents were seeking to make the Local Authority responsible for the school fees.

• This appeal involved significantly detailed expert evidence being given by an educational psychologist called by the parents.

• Advising parents on the merits of an action in educational negligence where their child had been bullied over a number of years and the (independent) school had not properly intervened to prevent this.

Regulatory Law

Robert is frequently instructed by a number of Local Authorities in matters of public regulatory work and is particularly interested in:

• Welfare Benefits: Fraud

• Environmental Health & Trading Standards with particular experience of food safety and hygiene, food labelling and trademarks/descriptions actions.

• Environmental Law with particular emphasis on waste management and fly tipping, noise nuisance and air pollution.

Personal Injury

Personal Injury Law

Robert’s personal injury practice includes tripping and slipping claims, industrial and workplace injuries, occupiers' liability claims, road traffic accidents and credit hire. Robert has appeared in fast track and multi-track matters for both Claimants and Defendants and is happy to accept claims on a CFA basis.

He has a particular in RTA Portal cases and routinely appears for Claimants and Defendants in such matters, drafting opinions for infant cases under the scheme and advising on matters of appeal.

Robert advises on liability and quantum and undertakes drafting work. With all paperwork instructions Robert turns work around within 3-days.

Robert also undertakes general civil work, having appeared in both the County Court and High Court.

Public Access