Alex Line

Call 2009
Email alex.line@3pb.co.uk
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Public Law & Regulatory

Alex’s public law practice is focused on the following three areas: education; community care; and immigration (in relation to which there is often a degree of overlap). Prior to undertaking pupillage Alex worked as a paralegal at London-based law firm which specialised in judicial review litigation. He gained experience in the areas of age disputes; community care; social housing; and education.

He also gained a strong practical understanding of judicial review litigation, and the needs of solicitors in this area. Recent examples of such work include:

• Regularly appearing in the First-Tier Tribunal (Immigration & Asylum) representing the SSHD on issues such as: asylum and humanitarian protection appeals; points based managed migration appeals; deportation; EEA national appeals including issues under the Immigration (EEA) Regulations 2006, e.g. concerning former spouses of EEA nationals; family / private life issues. Alex has been undertaking this work as part of a Treasury Solicitor baby-barrister scheme and had gained considerable practical experience of immigration law as a consequence. It is an area of practice he would be keen to develop further.

• Advising and appearing in the First-Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs & Disability) on behalf of parents of children with SEN and local authorities. Please see Alex’s specialist education law profile for further details.

• Drafting an urgent application and grounds for judicial review and interim relief for the failure of a local authority to implement a child’s Statement of SEN following a decision of the SEND tribunal, in breach of statutory duty under the Education (Special Educational Needs) (England) Regulations 2001.

• Providing advice and drafting grounds of judicial review in a community care matter concerning a former relevant child who had originally entered the UK as an unaccompanied age-disputed minor, but was seeking support to pursue a course of study at a university. The case concerned the statutory duties of a local authority under section 23CA of the Children Act 1989 and other such provisions relating to the duties owed to a former relevant child regarding education, advice and maintenance. It also involved a consideration of the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2009 (as amended by the Education (Student Fees, Awards, and Support) (Amendment) Regulations 2011).

• Drafting an application and grounds for judicial review in an age-assessment case whereby a local authority had failed to provide adequate reasons for its decision as to the age of the Claimant (who was an unaccompanied minor from Afghanistan). The determination of his age effected his entitlement to age-appropriate social services provision from the local authority under Part III of the Children Act 1989.