Welcome to the Education department

Welcome to our Education team, part of the Civil Department which also covers housing, community care, welfare benefits, and public law.

What we do in the Education team

We represent children and students who are in conflict with their schools, local education authorities, or colleges and universities.

We represent at tribunals and challenge unlawful decisions by judicial review in the Administrative Court. We advise and assist at all levels, such as admission appeals, or exclusion appeals at independent appeal panels. We assist with appeals to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.

Examples of cases that we handle are:

children with special educational needs who are not receiving the provision that they need
children who have not been admitted to the school of their parents' choice
children who are excluded from school
school transport difficulties
unlawful LEA policies
bullying
school attendance and defending parents prosecuted in Court
disability discrimination
racial discrimination
students in dispute with their education institutions
plagiarism allegations
independent appeals panels
taking appeals panel decisions to Court
further education complaints to the OIA

We challenge unfair decisions of public bodies, taking proceedings in the High Court where necessary.

Linked with our work in public law, we can advise on your rights at school, your rights as parents or carers, your rights a fair hearing, your rights under the European Convention for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Staff in the Education department

Our solicitors

Keith Lomax 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 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.

Colleen Dooner, LLB, LLM.
Assistant Solicitor
Colleen has trained within the firm and works with our housing, public law, and community care teams. She has taken cases to the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights. She represents clients facing eviction and assists with the duty solicitor scheme at County Court.

Our support staff

Rhiannon Jones. LLB.
Trainee solicitor.
Rhiannon has a background working in debt and welfare benefits advice, and is now working with our employment, housing, welfare benefits and debt, community care, and public law teams. She represents clients facing eviction and assists with the duty solicitor scheme at County Court.

Our secretarial support
Ann Bennett
Alison Haggart

Davies Gore Lomax LLP

Welcome to the Education department

What we do in the Education team

Departments

Staff in the Education department