Fenella Morris KC > Chambers of Charlie Cory-Wright KC and Richard Harwood KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

39 Essex Chambers is a ‘well-known specialist public law set’ with a particular presence acting in judicial reviews and tribunal claims at the intersection of health care and education law. Fenella Morris KC frequently acts for clients in negligence and breach of contract claims, while in R (T) v Secretary of State for Education, Rory Dunlop KC defeated a judicial review brought by non-working parents to the government’s pledge of fully-funded childcare for three and four-year olds; the claimants argued that the policy was discriminatory under Article 14 of the ECHR. At the junior level, Steve Broach KC regularly exhibits the set’s strength in SEND matters by acting in tribunal claims and judicial reviews for children with special educational needs, while Jennifer Thelen has been active in judicial reviews related to school exclusions and disability discrimination.

The Court of Protection team at 39 Essex Chambers has expertise in representing local authorities, NHS trusts, the official solicitor, and litigation friends at all levels in the Court of Protection in serious medical treatment, health and welfare matters. Vikram Sachdeva KC, in the case Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust v T, successfully represented a hospital trust seeking permission to force-feed a child suffering from OCD who refused nutrition. Fenella Morris KC represented Shropshire County Council in TRR and others v Dundee Council and Shropshire CC, a case concerning the division of responsibility for making and funding applications for deprivation of liberty for the individuals ordinarily resident in Scotland but habitually resident in England and Wales. Turning to the set’s juniors, Adam Fullwood  represented a Clinical Commissioning Group in An ICB v RN, a case concerning if the COVID-19 vaccination should be administered to a 22-year-old man with a learning disability, despite the opposition of his mother.