39 Essex Chambers is well-recognised for its expertise in the education sector, with a varied practice the barristers work on education claims for judicial reviews, tribunal appeals, discrimination, educational negligence and employment matters. Rory Dunlop KC acted for the school in Wells v Eastbourne College, which concerned the definition of disability as applied to teenagers at school. Steve Broach KC represented the claimant in R (AA and CC) v Secretary of State for Education, concerning the ability of the first-tier tribunal to order schools to pay damages for disability discrimination. Jennifer Thelen acts as junior counsel for the defendant in Free Speech Union v Secretary of State for Education, where the claimant challenged the Labour government’s decision not to commence the Higher Education (Free Speech) Act. Matthew Wyard joined the team in August 2025.
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Profile
Position
Barrister specialising in public law, human rights, immigration and employment law. He is currently writing the OUP textbook on immigration detention, due to be published at the end of 2014.
Career
Called 2002, Lincoln’s Inn; Lord Bowen, Lord Mansfield and Lord Wolfson scholarships to Lincoln’s Inn; Pegasus scholarship to European Court of Human Rights 2005; Attorney General’s C panel (2007), Attorney General’s FOI panel (2008), Attorney General’s B panel (2011).
Memberships
Liberty; ELBA; ILPA; ALBA; Bar Pro Bono Unit.
Education
Magdalen College, Oxford (1999 1st class); City University (2001 distinction).
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- ‘Rory is very thorough, a safe and confident pair of hands and extremely good with complex cases and difficult clients.’