Rook Irwin Sweeney secures Tier 1 ranking in Legal 500 2024

We’re delighted to have been ranked in the 2024 edition of Legal 500 for Administrative & Public Law,  Healthcare and Education and listed as a ‘firm to watch’ in the Court of Protection.

The firm is recognised for its “Excellence, knowledge, and professionalism”, for its “strong reputation regarding the rights of disabled children, adults and their families” and for being a firm that “puts a huge effort into getting its clients the right outcome.”

The firm is ranked Tier 1 for education, noting that it “fields a rapidly growing team of education lawyers who are ‘highly skilled and knowledgeable about all areas of SEND law’ and excel at handling court challenges, disability discrimination claims, and Tribunal cases related to school placements and exclusions, issues related to EHC plans, and alternative educational provision.”  Caroline Barrett, Anne-Marie Irwin, and Polly Sweeney, all partners who practice in education law, are recognised for having “extensive experience acting in a wide range of Tribunal appeals and judicial reviews concerning SEN law.”  Partner Polly Sweeney is recognised as a next generation partner in the field. Solicitor Jennifer Wright is also “highly recommended” in this area.

The firm is also recognised as a “go-to firm” for its specialism in healthcare and social care law, with expertise that is described as “second to none”. 

The founding partners, Alex Rook, Polly Sweeney and Anne Marie Irwin, are noted to be “exceptional lawyers at the top of their games, with deservedly excellent reputations”.

Individuals at the firm were also recognised:

• Polly Sweeney is “a cut above the rest when it comes to supporting clients to get the best and right provision for their children with special needs. She is the type of litigator that every family needs – she’s tenacious, powerful, calm and focused whilst putting her clients at ease knowing they have the best advice. She’s exceptionally bright and detail orientated and an utter pleasure to deal with.” She is also recognised for her “encyclopaedic knowledge of the education system as well as infinite kindness and compassion for her clients…Her approach is conciliatory, but extremely effective.”
• Alex Rook is “always pleasant, dedicated and a true pleasure to work with.” One source described how “he went out of his way for us time and again and showed an exemplary level of sensitivity, integrity and dedication.”
• Anne-Marie Irwin “acts for individuals, charities and NGOs in large judicial reviews”.
• Caroline Barrett is listed as a “next generation partner” in respect of Court of Protection work
• Jennifer Wright “who joined the firm in April 2022 and regularly advises on matters related to the Equality Act 2010, is also highly recommended.”

Thank you to all those who took the time to provide feedback, and we look forward to continuing our successes into 2024.