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Welcome to Our Blog! Legal Updates, Guidance, Events and Insights from Our Teams
A Judicial Review against funding cuts by Cornwall Council to college education for autistic young people concluded today, 11 December 2019, with a huge success. Full course funding has been restored, not merely for the September 2019 cohort but for...
Beverley Watkins appeared in an article published by BBC News yesterday, following a Special Needs and Disability Tribunal ruling in favour of her client, Nura Aabe and her severely autistic son Zak, against Bristol City Council. Asked for her reaction,...
Wednesday marked a vital step forward in ensuring the needs of children with Special Educational Needs are met. The first report published by the Education Committee on 23 October 2019, details key concerns regarding the implementation and funding of...
Beverley Watkins, our Education Law Specialist, will be speaking at Developmental Language Disorder Unpacked, a workshop for parents of children with Developmental Language Disorder. The event takes place in Bath on 16 th October and is being run by...
In recent news, Emma McNulty (18) was sacked from her job for taking a day off work when her beloved family dog sadly died. This has caused much discussion in the media about the right to time off work, particularly when suffering a bereavement. So do you...
Our client Nura Aabe and her son Zak are the subjects of a BBC News article following Nura’s decision to take legal action against the City of Bristol College, who used Zak’s appearance in a BBC documentary earlier this year to assess him for a...
There are concerns as to whether the ongoing uncertainty of Brexit is impacting on the property market in the UK. Simon David, Law Society of England and Wales President commented: “According to our estimates, the volume of work in legal...
Take a step back and put yourself into the shoes of your child. What stage of life is your child at? What is their personality like? What do they like doing? What do they not like doing? What is their favourite colour? What foods do...
Magna Academy in Poole has been in the news today over the fining of a parent who refused to send her daughter to school to take part in two activity days at the end of the term. The regular timetable was suspended and replaced with the activities, some of...
The Administrative Court in Cardiff has permitted a final hearing of Judicial Review proceedings to challenge the cutback of education for young people with special educational needs in Cornwall.
The government recently held a consultation on home education, due to a growing increase in the number (estimated 57,600) of children and young people being educated at home. However, in its conclusion of the consultation response, the government does not...
1. What are Employment Tribunals? Employment Tribunals are independent judicial bodies who resolve disputes between employers and employees over employment rights. They will hear claims such as unfair dismissal, breach of contract, discrimination,...
Dr Keith Lomax, our Judicial Review Specialist, successfully brought proceedings against a local council in Huddersfield on behalf of his client, whose allotments were being seized. The National Allotments Society tried to join the proceedings, which they...
The Autism Act 2009 was designed to bring about changes in the way adults with autism were treated by local authorities and NHS organisations. It is the only condition-specific legislation of its type in England and although references adults, has been...
Families in Wiltshire have been successful in their bid to challenge the Council’s proposals to close down three schools for children with complex needs and disabilities. Dr Keith Lomax of Watkins Solicitors in Bristol & Bath , who...
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal This Tribunal hears appeals about EHC needs assessments and EHC Plans as well as claims of disability discrimination. The number of appeals is on the rise; between 2018 and 2019 the Tribunal has seen...
A report published this week by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman in response to a complaint against Cornwall Council, highlights three key areas that we find are repeated failings throughout the country. The Ombudsman identified that...
Watkins’ solicitor Dr Keith Lomax, who specialises in challenging public bodies, is instructed by parent groups supporting two of the schools that the council plans to close. Friends of Larkrise School in Trowbridge and St Nicholas School in Chippenham...
We were delighted to exhibit at the dementia friendly Bath conference, which was excellently organised by Bath & North East Somerset Dementia Action Alliance (“Bath DAA”) at the Guildhall in Bath on Thursday 7th February 2019. There was...
Dr Keith Lomax , our judicial review & regulatory specialist, was interviewed by Ben Prater on BBC Radio Wiltshire this morning. The topic of conversation was Wiltshire Council's proposals to close special schools in Chippenham and Trowbridge....
