Barristers
Alex Leonhardt
- Phone020 7853 8055
- Email[email protected]
- Social
- Profilewww.3pb.co.uk
Work Department
Employment and Discrimination; Commercial; Property and Estates; Education.
Position
Alex Leonhardt joined 3PB in April 2021 following the successful completion of his pupillage with Chambers under Cheryl Jones and Charlotte Hadfield. He is based in the London office.
Alex accepts instruction in all areas of civil law, and has a particular interest in employment, commercial, property and housing, education and public law.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Alex worked in politics as a researcher to Members of Parliament and in public affairs for a body representing higher education providers. He also worked as a paralegal in a housing and public law department at a London law firm.
Employment and Discrimination
Alex is frequently instructed across the full range of Employment Tribunal and civil court employment matters, and is a frequent contributor to 3PB’s Employment Newsletter. He has particular experience in acting for schools, universities and education professionals, informed by his education law practice.
He also acts in Equality Act claims brought in the County Court and First-tier Tribunal outside of the employment context, and has experience of claims on behalf of both employers and employees arising from restrictive covenants and non-poaching clauses.
His recent cases include:
Obtaining a finding that a claimant’s belief in English nationalism was not a protected belief for the purposes of a discrimination claim brought against a university employer Successfully representing a claimant in a redundancy claim, on the basis of superficial consultation with employees and the recognised trade union Securing an order that a claimant pay 100% of the costs of the Respondent in an unmeritorious and unreasonably brought discrimination claim Acting pro bono to assist an ex-employee obtain a £15,000 settlement following a failure by an employer to offer contractual hours Advising and pleading in a disability discrimination claim brought against a community sports club operating as an unincorporated association Providing advice and drafting on jurisdiction issues arising from the State Immunity Act Disability discrimination claims arising from “mask mandates” imposed by shops during the coronavirus pandemic.Commercial
Alex accepts instructions representing individuals and businesses in disputes on all contractual matters. His aim is to always provide clear and practical advice that enables his clients to make confident decisions in litigation.
He has represented clients in a wide range of goods and services and debt claims, at trial and at interlocutory and case management hearings.
His recent instructions include acting for employers and employees/directors in civil claims arising from restrictive covenants, non-compete clauses and non-poaching clauses, and he is keen to develop his practice in these areas.
Owing to his education and discrimination practices he is particularly well placed to act in claims relating to education contracts, and has experience in multi-faceted claims in that arena brought on the basis of breach of contract, discrimination and negligence.
Property and Estates
Alex accepts instructions in residential and commercial landlord and tenant claims, and matters relating to local authorities’ duties in relation to homelessness and allocation of social housing under the Housing Act 1996.
He has also acted in claims for injunctions under the Protection from Harassment Act relating to the use and enjoyment of property.
Alex has experience in advising on lease renewals, service charge liabilities and the enforcement of covenants, as well as acting for both landlords and tenants in possession and disrepair cases.
He accepts instructions from both local authorities and claimants in housing matters under the Housing Act 1996, and has a strong understanding of this area from his experience as a paralegal working in a housing and public law team at a solicitors’ firm specialising in these areas of work.
Education
Alex accepts instructions in discrimination, breach of contract and negligence claims arising in the context of schools, colleges and universities in the First-tier Tribunal and the civil courts, as well as school admission and exclusion cases and judicial review cases relating to education.
A recent case involved successfully representing a school in defending a discrimination claim on the basis that a pupil’s violent behaviour was not something arising from the disability relied upon.
Alex’s previous experience of working in higher education policy means that he is particularly interested in cases in the higher education context, including discrimination and breach of contract claims, judicial reviews and cases involving complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education.
Career
Year of Call: 2018