Higher Education in 2024: Law and Practice Update

Garden Court Chambers' Education Law and Employment & Discrimination Law Teams were pleased to host a seminar exploring topical legal issues for practitioners working in the field of higher education law.

Specific topics addressed included:

• Belief discrimination and freedom of speech at universities
• Disability discrimination and negligence claims following Abrahart
• Navigating universities' internal procedures
• The Office of the Independent Adjudicator and judicial review

The seminar was chaired by Nicola Braganza KC,  a leading education law and employment & discrimination law silk. 

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.

Ollie Persey, 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.

Oscar Davies, Garden Court Chambers
Oscar is an award-winning barrister and is ranked as a Tier 1 ‘Rising Star’ in the Legal 500. Oscar undertakes a range of civil and public law work, including employment and education. They appear frequently in the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) and employment tribunals. Oscar provides advice, written or oral, on all aspects of employment law, including unfair dismissal, victimisation and different types of discrimination. Oscar also acts for children, young people and families in all forums where education law issues arise, including the First-tier Tribunal, the Upper Tribunal, the Administrative Court, university panels, governing body disciplinary committees and independent review panels.

Georgie Rea, Garden Court Chambers
Georgie is developing a broad public law practice, whilst specialising in immigration & asylum, housing, education, and community care law. Her journey into tenancy was kicked off by her nomination as a finalist for Young Pro Bono Barrister of the Year in 2022. Georgie acts for children, young people and families in all forums where education law issues arise. She has secured specialist placements and extensive amendments to EHCPs at final hearings before the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal. Georgie has successfully raised issues of direct and indirect discrimination on the grounds of race and disability before Independent Review Panels and the SEND Tribunal.

Salima Mawji, NBB Law
Salima is a specialist Education Lawyer with over 20 years experience in the field. Her specialism is Further and Higher Education Law. From academic appeals to disciplinary issues, sexual misconduct allegations to challenges to fee status, fitness to practice to PhD issues, Salima has assisted many students in securing their rights in the education sector. Her approach is to focus on an amicable and mediated settlement and she has achieved many for her clients and is passionate about enforcing student’s rights. In 2023, she has been named an expert in Chambers & Partners and ranked in Legal 500 as part of IBB’s Education Team.

Reserve your in-person or online ticket

Please fill in the form below to reserve your in-person or online ticket. In-person tickets are limited to the capacity of the venue. After you have completed the form, we will be back in touch to confirm your in-person place at this event. 

If you have booked an online ticket, we will send joining details to everyone who has signed up on the day of the event. Please check your junk inbox if you have not received the link by Monday 1st July. If you have not received the link by 3pm on Monday 1st July, and it is not in your junk inbox, please email seminars@gclaw.co.uk.