Mishcon de Reya LLP‘s education team offers ’strong, knowledgeable, prompt and professional‘ advice on issues such as religious discrimination, grading and qualification standards, and sexual and academic misconduct in educational settings. The team frequently acts for individuals in appeals against school and university exclusions and disciplinary procedures, with a track record of handling cases involving young people with special educational needs. The practice is headed by discrimination and equality expert Robert Lewis, who frequently advises on exclusions and complaints in educational institutions, and is bolstered by the expertise of James Murray, a key contact for freedom of speech issues, and Victoria Pigott, who regularly advises clients facing disciplinary hearings.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Mishcon have a superbly professional operation in education - a really first class service.’
‘Robert Lewis is really excellent. Very perceptive, intelligent, easy to deal with and flexible.’
‘The Mischon de Reya education law team are consummate professionals. Experts in their subject knowledge, top-notch with their strategic thinking, very clever with their tactical ideas, and totally devoted to their clients. They are a real pleasure for the counsel team to work with.’
‘Mishcon are becoming a real force to be reckoned with in education. They bring tactical acumen and a strategic focus to a sector where that was and is very much needed, and are great at developing trusting relationships with their clients.’
‘Robert Lewis has in-depth, first-hand, knowledge of the education sector. Great judgment and very good with clients.’
‘Robert Lewis. He is one of the best solicitors I’ve retained. Not only is he knowledgeable in his field, he truly cares about his client's best wishes. He is very easy to speak to. I cannot thank him and his team enough.’
‘The team has impressive expertise in the whole field of law relating to higher education. They have also led the way in providing a reliable and detailed commentary on the implications of the new statutes affecting universities - particularly in the area of academic freedom - that have come into force this year. I have been particularly struck by the intellectual strength of the group. Their collective cleverness quotient is exceptionally high.’
‘James Murray is a master of the field of education law and one of the smartest lawyers with whom I have worked. His advice is characterised not only by a deep knowledge of the law, but also by a tactical deftness and shrewdness of judgment that make his advice doubly valuable. His counsel is regularly a model of clear exposition, impressive argument, and succinctness. Not a word, nor a moment of time, is wasted.’
Key clients
- The Social Mobility Foundation
Work highlights
- Advised The Social Mobility Foundation (SMF) in relation to public exams and engaging with Ofqual, the exam "watchdog" which regulates qualifications, exams and tests in England.
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Robert Lewis