Free Webinar - Disability discrimination claims and schools: case law update

Garden Court Chambers Education Law Team was pleased to present a lunchtime webinar considering recent significant developments in the case law on disability discrimination claims against schools.

Speakers

Nicola Braganza KC, Garden Court Chambers (Chair)
Nicola is recognised as a leading barrister specialising in Equality and Discrimination Law, Public Law and Human Rights. Her broad practice includes the areas of Employment and Education Law. Nicola sits as a Fee-paid Judge in the First Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) and in the Employment Tribunal. She regularly provides training and workshops on Equality and Discrimination law and has been an invited speaker at the European Academy of Law on EU Directives on Equality and Anti-Discrimination for many years. Nicola has considerable experience in bringing complex challenges against the state and has particular expertise in representing highly vulnerable adults and children. Nicola has been appointed as panel counsel to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

Ollie Persey, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers 
Ollie has a broad public law practice focusing on the rights of children, asylum seekers, migrants and disabled people. He has expertise in discrimination, education, community care, mental health and Court of Protection matters. He is ranked in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 and was a finalist for a ‘Junior of the Year’ award at the Legal 500 Awards 2022 for his work in his core practice areas. Ollie is ranked as a Tier 1 Rising Star in the Legal 500 for his education law practice and co-convenes Garden Court’s Education Law team. He is also a director of the Education Law Association. He is a trustee of the Education Law Association (‘ELAS’), sits on the steering committee of the School Inclusion Project (‘SIP’) and provides pro bono support to Southwark Law Centre’s new school exclusion unit. Ollie has been appointed as panel counsel to the EHRC.

Harry Harris, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers 
Harry is building a multi-disciplinary practice, which includes public law, actions against the police and state, inquests and inquiries, mental health law and education law. Harry regularly represents parents and families before the First-Tier Tribunal (SEND) in appeals relating to Education, Health and Care Plans. Harry has a particular interest in challenging decisions to permanently exclude children from school, and accepts regular instruction, often pro bono, in this regard. Harry joined Garden Court as a tenant in October 2023, after completing her pupillage.