Ed Duff

Areas of expertise

Ed specialises in Education law and is particularly known as an expert in special educational needs law. Issues he regularly advises on include:

• Securing an Education Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment
• Appeals against a refusal to make an EHC needs assessment
• Appeals against a refusal to make an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
• Appeals against content of Statement of Special Educational Needs
• Content of Sections B, F and I of EHCPs
• Social Care provision in an EHCPs
• Securing preferred school placement in an EHCP
• Obtaining specialist and / or residential school placements for children and young people with complex needs
• Appeals to the Upper Tier Tribunal
• Judicial Review for education and social care issues
• Exclusion appeals
• Disability Discrimination claims
• Admissions appeals

Ed has considerable experience in Social Care and Family law. These areas regularly cross over with Education law. Ed’s experience in these areas provides considerable advantages for clients.

Approach

Ed has extensive experience in supporting parents, families and young people through what can be a very difficult time. He has experience of dealing with the most complex cases. He adopts a practical approach to provide specialist tailored advice to achieve the best outcome as quickly as possible.

“He is good at focusing on solutions, has a thorough knowledge of the legislation and keeps a constant eye on costs for the client” - Chambers Guide to the UK Legal Profession

Focus

Since 2007, Ed has practiced education law coupled with child law, family law and public law. In the process he has become one of the UK’s leading commentators on special educational needs issues and is recognised as an expert in the field of special educational needs law.

Ed’s work has led to leading case law. This has included an appeal to the Supreme Court about the human right to education. He has also brought leading precedent cases to the Court of Appeal concerning the definition of "school" and whether children in residential schools are “looked after” by a local authority. Other leading cases concern the test of necessity for a Statement of Special Educational Needs (now Education Health and Care Plan) and the issue of capacity of young people bringing an appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.

Ed is regularly asked to provide legal advice and comment by the media including TV and radio. He has been a script advisor for the BBC and is one of the UK’s most published special educational needs lawyers with articles in the Solicitors Journal, Guardian, SEN Magazine, Autism Eye and online blogs for the Brain Injury Unit of the Children’s Trust, ASEND and a number of specialist charities.

"Extremely competent and very meticulous. He brings substantial experience of SENDIST matters at both First-tier and Upper Tribunals” - Chambers Guide to the UK Legal Profession

"We are delighted with the outcome, the excellent support from the HCB team and the fees charged, which as Ed has indicated are considerably lower than estimated (when does that ever normally happen in the legal world!)." - Mrs I