Education News

3PB is delighted to report that its Education law team has retained its Tier 3 ranking in London. The team has attracted a total of eight rankings in the Legal 500’s 2025 edition published today: seven of our barristers are ranked in London, one of them is also recommended for their work in the Midlands. The directory acknowledges the team “cover[s] the complete range of education disputes, including acting in tribunal claims and judicial reviews...

3PB achieves record rankings in the Legal 500’s 2025 edition

1st October 2024

3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings), one of the UK's largest chambers, is celebrating this year again its rankings - totalling 167 - in the Legal 500 2025’s edition published today, a 15% increase on last year’s 145. The set is ranked in 23 areas of law, across 4 UK Circuits: London, South Eastern, Western and the Midlands. 3PB’s barristers are also ranked in the Middle East and Asia Pacific regions. The Legal 500 acknowledges 3PB...

Alice de Coverley speaks to The Work Couch on neurodiversity at work

24th September 2024

3PB Barristers’ (3 Paper Buildings) specialist education, equality and public law barrister Alice de Coverley has spoken to RPC Legal’s The Work Couch podcast as part of their neurodiversity mini-series ahead of ADHD awareness month in October. In the first episode of the series, which looks at the lived experience on neurodiversity, Alice joins host Ellie Gelder, alongside Auticon’s Ashlea Cromby and Tracey West and Victoria Othen of RPC Legal. The conversation covers a range...

Matthew Wyard writes for Special Needs Jungle on Mental Capacity and the Send Tribunal

19th September 2024

Matthew Wyard, public law barrister at 3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) specialising in education, health and social care, has written for Special Needs Jungle on Mental Capacity and the Send Tribunal. In the article Matthew discusses his case of MM v Royal Borough of Greenwich and the First Tier Tribunal’s role in giving health and social care recommendations, as well as how it should address the issue of a young person’s mental capacity. Please click...

Naomi Webber appointed to Attorney General's C Panel

19th August 2024

Chambers is delighted to announce that Naomi Webber has been appointed to the Attorney General’s C Panel (London) for a period of five years, commencing on Sunday 1st September 2024. She joins seven other 3PB barristers on the Attorney General’s (AG’s) panel of counsel including A Panel members of William Hansen, Richard Wheeler and Mark Green. Naomi is now one of 19 3PB barristers on the Attorney General's London and Regional Panels and undertaking "Junior...

Education law newsletter - July 2024

23rd July 2024

Jim Hirschmann edits the 11th edition of our education law newsletter, packed full with team news, awards, book launches, events and analysis from our barristers Charlotte Hadfield, Lachlan Wilson, John Friel, Alice de Coverley, Matthew Wyard, Emma Waldron, Alex Leonhardt, Caroline Stone, Mark Green, Sunyana Sharma, Katherine Anderson, Ben Amunwa and Rosa Thomas, to name a few.

3PB shortlisted in 8 categories in The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2024

11th July 2024

We are delighted to announce that 3PB (3 Paper Buildings) has been shortlisted for 8 awards at The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2024, including 4 Juniors, a Silk, 2 Sets of the Year and Chambers Leader of the Year, in the following categories: "Intellectual Property Set of the Year": Victoria Jones, Nicole Bollard, Mark Wilden, Faizul Azman  "Set outside London of the Year" : Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Oxford, Winchester "Chambers Leader of the Year": CEO...

Updating guidance given by the Upper Tribunal on mental capacity and the First tier Tribunal’s jurisdiction to make health and social care recommendations

25th June 2024

Matthew Wyard (pictured here), specialist education law barrister at 3PB Barristers, instructed by Geldards LLP, represented the successful appellant in MM (as alternative person for C) v Royal Borough of Greenwich [2024] UKUT 179 (AAC). Matthew writes about the Upper Tribunal's decision in this case, and the important points the judgment raises in relation to the conduct of proceedings before the SEND Tribunal when impaired litigation capacity is being considered. UTJ Stout grappled with two...

Alice de Coverley wins the Disability/Neurodiversity award in legal ESG Awards

25th April 2024

3PB Barristers' (3 Paper Buildings) is proud to announce that its education/public law/equality barrister Alice de Coverley last night won the "Disability/Neurodiversity: Bar Champion of the Year" at the Legal 500 ESG Awards 2024, held in Park Lane, London. Alice de Coverley regularly acts for children and young people with disabilities, mental health conditions and special educational needs. Alice is a Trustee of Neurodiversity in Law (NDIL), an organisation specialising in raising awareness and providing support...

John Friel succeeds for residential school after SEN Tribunal ruling and law changes

9th April 2024

3PB's education law barrister John Friel recently successfully acted in Re: Case No. 2024 EWHC 584 (Admin), The King (on the Application of LS) v The London Borough of Merton and The Residential School, before Mr Justice Freedman. The case is significant and changes the law on SEN provision in schools and local authorities' responsibilities. In the SEN Tribunal, John's residential school client won its case and saw recommendations for its school to be supported...

Rosa Thomas and Lucy Bill become members

2nd April 2024

3PB are pleased to announce that barristers Rosa Thomas and Lucy Bill (pictured here, left to right) have successfully completed their twelve-month pupillages today and become tenants with the 250-barrister, national chambers. Former Oxford University graduate, public affairs specialist and researcher Rosa Thomas (call:2023) is joining 3PB's London office and will be focusing on employment and discrimination claims as well as disputes in the education sector, following her specialist pupillage at 3PB in these two...

Alice de Coverley and John Friel in new Upper Tribunal decision on disability discrimination claims against private school

22nd March 2024

Two of 3PB's Education Law team appeared opposite each other in the Upper Tribunal, with Alice de Coverley acting for the Appellant, the parents of a disabled child who had been permanently excluded, and John Friel acting for the Respondent, an independent school. The case of SS v Proprietor of an Independent School [2024] UKUT 29 (AAC) is a significant and useful decision for those acting in the education and discrimination field. UT Judge Stout...