Lawyer required for tribunal

[drowningbynumbers]

Anyone got any recommendations? Things have reached a point where we can't do this without professional help, and are looking for a solicitor.

strongly recommend Fiona Slomovic

Lester Morrell in Leeds, specifically Keith Lomax.

FS is good but not a lawyer. Chris Barnett at Levenes, Polly Sweeney at Irwin Mitchell, Maxwell Gillott or other lawyers here

This is the list from Chambers with their recommendations for individual lawyers

Chambers Education Lawyers

We used Fiona Slomovic who as stated above is a legal advocate, not a solicitor, but she knows her stuff inside out and did a very thorough and impressive job for our tribunal.

Just compared price. It seems using an advocate like Fiona comes in at about a third the price.

In what situation would a lawyer be preferable to an advocate?

Education Advocacy?

I am confused. When going to tribunal and you need someone who can prepare your case, is a lawyer or advocate preferable?

Would it be right to say this situation could be called education advocacy? Yet many people seem to use lawyers. Fiona Slomovic seems to be recommended alongside lawyers as if they offer very similar services. I am having trouble understanding where the difference is.

I can't see why you would need to pay the huge extra amount for a solicitor, assuming you can get hold of an extremely good advocate such as Fiona. She has won many 'unwinnable' cases including our own, and as someone said, she knows her stuff inside out. In fact I know several people who have moved to Fiona after using firms such as Levenes.

The only problem with Fiona is that there is an incredibly high level of demand for her services and she is therefore often at capacity

Prior to the issue of the statement I used Advocates for Children but they do not get involved in tribunal.

Then I had a legal advisor appointed by IPSEA.

I then had Fiona prepare the working document and act as representative at the hearing. Fiona meets with you a couple of days before the hearing but will have been in receipt of all info and have read it several times. IPSEA know Fiona and forward on relevant info to her.

Personally I found that nobody knew my son's case as well as me but I did not have experience of the legal process and it could only ever be novel to me.

There is a matter of luck as to whether FS is available. I did not contact her until the end of Feb (on recommendation of EP) for a hearing scheduled beginning of May.

As my emails show she ends work after midnight and starts before 6pm 7 days a week.

6 AM

Yes, FS does work incredibly hard and is very much in demand. She is very practical and experienced too.

I think sometimes lawyers can give other options which a non-lawyer might not be able to provide - especially regarding the availability of JR in certain circumstances.

However, finding a sensible lawyer at a sensible price can be a very touch job.