Alex Leonhardt > Chambers of David Berkley KC > London, England > Barrister Profile
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Alex Leonhardt
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
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Alex Leonhardt is frequently instructed across the full range of Employment Tribunal and civil court employment matters. He has particular experience in acting for schools, universities and education professionals. He also acts in Equality Act claims brought in the County Court for discrimination in the provision of services and has experience of claims on behalf of both employers and employees arising from restrictive covenants.
His recent cases include:
- Acting for a national retailer in a claim of constructive redundancy of two senior employees
- Obtaining a finding of unfair redundancy on the basis of superficial consultation with employees and the recognised trade union
- Reducing damages to zero on the basis of 100% contributory conduct deduction and 100% Polkey deduction in a misconduct dismissal case
- Successfully resisting a wide-ranging disability discrimination and whistleblowing claim
- Acting pro bono to assist an ex-employee obtain a £15,000 settlement following a failure by an employer to offer contractual hours
- 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 Leonhardt accepts instructions representing individuals and businesses in disputes on all contractual matters. He is particularly well placed to act in disputes arising from employment contracts and contracts for services, or those in the education sector.
His recent instructions include:
- Acting for employers and employees/directors in civil claims arising from restrictive covenants, non-compete clauses and non-poaching clauses
- Advising on a potential claim for estate agent’s fees under a multi-agency agreement, and potential counter-claims
- Advising on the status of a purported settlement negotiated by the lay client
Alex accepts instructions representing individuals and businesses in contractual matters in the county court, including Consumer Rights Act matters, misrepresentation claims and disputes about quality of work. He is particularly well placed to act in disputes arising from employment contracts or contracts for education in schools and universities.
Property and Estates
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Alex Leonhardt’s property practice has a particular focus on landlord and tenant disputes but also encompasses real property disputes including boundary disputes, easements and adverse possession claims. He 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 residential and commercial possession claims. He has also acted in claims for injunctions under the Protection from Harassment Act relating to the use and enjoyment of property.
Alex has a strong understanding of social housing allocations and homelessness law from his experience as a paralegal working in a housing and public law team at a solicitors’ firm specialising in these areas of work. He is keen to accept instructions in this area.
Education
Alex Leonhardt accepts instructions in discrimination and breach of contract claims arising in the context of schools, colleges and universities, as well as admission and exclusion cases. He also regularly acts as a clerk advising Independent Review Panels on school exclusions and has experience advising on Ofsted regulatory matters.
During pupillage, Alex was supervised by leading education barrister Charlotte Hadfield and in that time assisted in a number of judicial reviews on education matters and claims of breach of contract/disability discrimination by independent schools.
Alex’s 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 and cases involving complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education.
Career
Year of Call: 2018
Education
- Bar Professional Training Course, Cardiff University 2017-18 (Very competent)
- Graduate Diploma in Law, Cardiff University, 2016-17 (Distinction)
- MA Political Philosophy, University of York, 2011-2012 (Distinction)
- BA (Hons) Philosophy, University of Cambridge, 2005-2008