Solicitors, Leeds
Welcome to our Education team, part of the Civil Department which also covers housing, community care, welfare benefits, and public law.
We represent children and students who are in conflict with their schools, local education authorities, or colleges and universities.read more »
Yes, contact us as soon as you can and quickly if you already have a date for a hearing at Court.
The school has a right to discipline children but it must be reasonable. There is government guidance on what should and should not be done. Repeated isolation may well be unlawful. Get in touch and we can advise you. read more »
Advisory Centre for Education - (ACE) - offers information about state education for parents of school age children. Free telephone advice on exclusion from school, bullying, special educational needs and school admission appeals.
Education Otherwise - provides support and information for families whose children are being educated outside school
Our solicitors
Keith Lomax, BSc, PhD. Partner.
Qualified 1988.
Keith Lomax is head of the Civil Department, which includes housing, education, employment, community care, public law, welfare benefits, and debt. He has specialised in housing since he qualified as a solicitor and has developed particular interest and experience in education, employment, community care, public law, regulatory law, and human rights. He has expertise in Gypsy and Traveller law. He has taken cases to the Court of Appeal, the House of Lords, and the European Court of Human Rights. Keith is a member of the Environmental Law Foundation.
Keith Coughtrie, BA.
Assistant Solicitor – qualified 2003
Keith Coughtrie specialises in public law matters and has extensive experience of challenging public authorities by Judicial Review proceedings in the High Court. He has particular experience in Gypsy and Traveller education law.
Sally Lees, LLB.
Assistant Solicitor – qualified 2007
Sally has worked and trained within the firm and has developed experience in family law, housing and welfare benefits. In our family department she conducts cases on domestic violence, cohabitation, divorce and separation. Sally assists with education matters as well as working with our housing, welfare benefits, and community care teams.
Tom Lomax, BSc. MSc.
Assistant Solicitor
Tom has a background in science, philosophy and international environment and indigenous rights work, and is presently working in our Civil department on housing, community care, public law and human rights, and education matters. He has experience in asylum seeker support work. He is also working with the charity FERN on a project concerning law reform and governance in respect of forest community land rights in Liberia and the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Action Plan. In this capacity Tom has authored a report entitled ‘Forest Governance in Liberia’, published by FERN in January 2008.
Our support staff
Graham Alexander, BA.
Legal Assistant
Graham has a background working in the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and is now working with our housing, welfare benefits, and community care teams. Graham specialises in welfare benefits and debt. He takes cases to tribunals and by Judcial Review to the High Court.
Our secretarial support
Ann Bennett
Alison Haggart