Zoe Gannon

“Zoe is a fantastic public law barrister. She is objective, very smart, fast, reliable, amazingly well organised, and proactive.” Legal 500

“Zoe has an excellent grasp across a range of areas in public law, and she is highly regarded by clients.” Chambers and Partners

“Zoe is a friendly and approachable advocate who is able to turn around complex advice quickly.” Chambers and Partners

Zoe is a specialist barrister with extensive expertise in administrative law, civil liberties and human rights, education, and regulatory claims.  Her experience also spans procurement and commercial cases.  She regularly acts for and advises public bodies, commercial entities and individuals as sole counsel and as a member of a larger team.

Zoe has significant appellate experience including in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court and has been instructed in relation to applications to the European Court of Human Rights. She has appeared as sole counsel in the High Court, the Divisional Court and a range of Tribunals, including on appeal in the Upper Tribunal.

She is regularly instructed in high profile and sensitive cases.  Recently this has included three leading Supreme Court cases on the rights of individuals: For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers, R (oao Jwanczuk) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and  AG Reference on Cheshire West.

In terms of her regulatory work Zoe has appeared as sole counsel in the High Court and a range of disciplinary tribunals.  She has experience of acting for and against a number of regulatory bodies including:

• Bar Standards Board,
• Care Quality Commission,
• Local Government Ombudsman,
• Solicitors Regulatory Authority,
• Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors,
• Pearson, and
• Information Commissioner.

Recent cases:

R (on the application of Jwanczuk) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2025] UKSC 42
Discrimination claim under Article 14 of the Convention.  Leading Supreme Court decision on proper approach of senior courts (Court of Appeal and High Court) in England and Wales to decisions of higher courts in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Led by Sir James Eadie KC for the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

R(CKT and DGT) v Twyford Church of England Academies Trust, and the Office of the Schools Adjudicator
[2025] EWHC 2396 (Admin).
Leading indirect discrimination case brought under the Equality Act 2010 where claimants sought to challenge a faith school’s admissions policy claiming race discrimination.  Led by Joanne Clement KC for the Secretary of State for Education Intervening. 

For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers
[2025] UKSC 16
Landmark Supreme Court case on the definition of “sex” and man and woman in the Equality Act 2010. Led by Jason Coppel KC for the Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening.

R (YVR) v Birmingham City Council
[2025] EWCA Civ 393
Significant Court of Appeal decision on Article 14 of the Convention in the context of public authority decision making and the Public Sector Equality Duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 and delegated decision making. Led by Joanne Clement KC.

R (Bell) v Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
[2025] (AC-2024-LON-000706)
Challenge to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s failure to ban cross sex hormones by private providers.  Zoe appeared as sole counsel for the Claimants in the Divisional Court permission hearing (coverage here)

Fertré v Vale of White Horse District Council 
[2025] EWCA Civ 1057
Important judgment on the interaction of domestic and EU law (as applied by the Withdrawal Agreement) following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, and the correct approach to the interpretation of the Withdrawal Agreement. Led by Julia Smyth KC and James Cornwell.

R (on the application of) UK Curriculum and Accreditation Body (t/a Scholars School System) v Pearson Education Ltd
[2025] EWHC 2161 (Admin)
Sole Counsel for the Claimant in this judicial review of regulatory decision making by Pearson Education Limited acting as a regulator of a private education provider.

Free Speech Union v Secretary of State for Education
[2025]
Landmark challenge to Secretary of State’s decision to revoke regulations bringing the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 into force (see here). Led by Tom Cross KC.

R (on the application of Jwanczuk) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
[2023] EWCA Civ 1156
Case involving discrimination claim under Article 14 and A1P1 and constitutional issues as to the effect of a decision of the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal. Led by Clive Sheldon KC.

(on the application of DF) v EssexCC
[2023] EWHC 3330 (Admin)
Challenge to local authority decision making and obligations under s.20 of the Children Act 1989. Led by Clive Sheldon KC.

R (on the application of Motherhood Plan) v HM Treasury
[2021] P.T.S.R. 1202
Challenge to central government Covid decision making.  Case involving Article 14, A1P1 and discrimination claims in the context of Covid 19 government support. Led by Julian Milford KC and Rupert Paines.

R (Drexler) v Leicestershire City Council
[2020] EWCA 502
Discrimination Article 14/A2P1 Court of Appeal case involving complex school transport statutory obligations (Led by Peter Oldham KC)

R (on the application of D) v Hampshire CC
[2020] EWHC 2916 (Admin)
Judicial review challenge regarding a school’s obligations to pupils with EHCPs (Sole Counsel).

Hendron v Bar Standards Board
[2020] EWHC 1255 (Admin)
Sole counsel for the Bar Standards Board in this appeal by Henry Hendron, which involved a “lacuna” in the in the BSB Handbook in relation to suspended Barristers.

R (London School of Science and Technology) v Pearson Education Limited
[2019] EWHC 3129 (Admin)
Sole counsel to the Claimant in this important regulatory challenge on the legal requirements on qualification awarding bodies when withdrawing accreditation from providers.

R (Haq) v Walsall MBC
[2019] EWHC 70 (Admin)
Claim against local authority burial rules brought under Article 9 (religious rights) and as an Article 14 discrimination claim as well as a claim under the Equality Act 2010. Led by Jonathan Auburn KC.

“Zoe is my go-to for higher education matters. She is clear, concise, technically strong and an all-round pleasure to work with!” Chambers & Partners

“Hugely knowledgeable and skilled in local government matters. She has built up a fantastic reputation as a go-to barrister for the more complex social care and education judicial reviews.” Legal 500

“Zoe is my go-to for advice on all student litigation cases. She is a joy to work with, nothing is too much trouble and she is knowledgeable.”  Chambers and Partners

Zoe is ranked in both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 as a leading junior in Education Law.

Zoe represents and advises both claimants and defendants (local authorities, academies, universities and independent schools) in the full range of education matters.

She has extensive experience in the High Court, County Court, SENDIST and Upper Tribunal as sole counsel and being led in the Court of Appeal.  Her cases frequently involve complex issues of Convention rights and discrimination law.

Zoe is a contributor to the Education Law Handbook (LexisNexis, 2021)

Recent cases:

R(CKT and DGT) v Twyford Church of England Academies Trust, and the Office of the Schools Adjudicator
[2025] EWHC 2396 (Admin).
Leading indirect discrimination case where claimants sought to challenge a faith school’s admissions policy claiming race discrimination.  Led by Joanne Clement KC for the Secretary of State for Education Intervening. 

R (on the application of) UK Curriculum and Accreditation Body (t/a Scholars School System) v Pearson Education Ltd
[2025] EWHC 2161 (Admin)
Sole counsel for the Claimant in this judicial review of regulatory decision making by Pearson Education Limited acting as a regulator of a private education provider.

Free Speech Union v Secretary of State for Education
[2025]
Significant challenge to the vires of the Secretary of State’s decision to revoke regulations bringing the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 into force (see here). Led by Tom Cross KC.

DM v Cornwall Council
[2023] P.T.S.R. 795
Leading Upper Tribunal decision on specificity for Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) provision in Education Health and Care Plans. Sole counsel to the local authority.

R (Drexler) v Leicestershire City Council
[2020] EWCA 502
Court of Appeal Article 14/A2P1 Convention case involving complex school transport statutory obligations. Led by Peter Oldham KC.

R (on the application of D) v Hampshire CC
[2020] EWHC 2916 (Admin)
High Court judicial review challenge regarding school’s obligations. Sole counsel to the County Council.

R (on the application of London School of Science and Technology) v Pearson Education Ltd
[2019] EWHC 3129 (Admin)
Judicial review regulatory challenge to withdrawal from a college of accreditation on the basis of malpractice. Sole counsel to the Claimant.

The Proprietor of Ashdown House School v JKL
[2019] HS/1322/2019 (20 August 2019)
Leading case in the Upper Tribunal on the First Tier Tribunal’s power to order independent schools to reinstate pupils, order apologies and enforcement of decisions of the First Tier Tribunal. Sole counsel to the private school.

“She has built up a fantastic reputation as a go-to barrister for the more complex social care … judicial reviews.” Legal 500

“Zoe is a fantastic public law barrister. She is objective, very smart, fast, reliable, amazingly well organised, and proactive.” Legal 500

“She is very good, extremely bright and hard-working.” Chambers and Partners

Zoe has particular expertise in the related areas of community care, court of protection and healthcare. Zoe regularly acts for and advises local authorities, and Integrated Care Boards in community care and court of protection cases. She has experience in funding disputes, including complex s.117 and continuing health care disputes.

Her experience includes cases on local authority obligations to children, for example in R (on the application of TW) v Essex CC [2024] EWHC 264 (Admin) and R. (on the application of DF) v Essex CC [2023] EWHC 3330 (Admin).

Zoe was led by Jonathan Auburn KC in R (SH) v Norfolk County Council [2020] EWHC 3436 (Admin); [2021] PTSR 969 and by Clive Sheldon KC in R. (on the application of YVR) v Birmingham City Council  [2024] P.T.S.R. 866, and by Jo Clement KC in R (YVR) v Birmingham City Council [2025] EWCA Civ 393: both cases concerning Article 14 and A1P1 on local authority charging policies.

Zoe has experience in defending challenges to the alleged failure to properly assess care needs, and the amount of funds provided to meet needs (Zoe was led by Jonathan Auburn KC for Oxfordshire in R. (on the application of Davey) v Oxfordshire CC  [2018] P.T.S.R. 281: leading Court of Appeal authority on decision making under the Care Act 2014 and Davey, R (on the application of) v Oxfordshire County Council [2017] EWHC 354 (Admin), (2017) 20 CCLR 303).

Zoe was instructed by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, led by Joanne Clement KC, in what will be a leading case on the meaning of deprivation of liberty (under Article 5 of the Convention) in the Supreme Court in AG Reference on Cheshire West. She has experience in the Court of Protection including in end of life and serious medical treatment cases such as in Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust v MB [2019] EWCOP 30, [2019] 7 WLUK 320 and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust v MB  [2019] EWCOP 29, [2019] 5 WLUK 673.

Recent cases:

R (YVR) v Birmingham City Council
[2025] EWCA Civ 393
Significant Court of Appeal decision on Article 14 of the Convention in the context of local authority charging policies and the Public Sector Equality Duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 and delegated decision making. Led by Joanne Clement KC.

R (Bell) v Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
[2025] (AC-2024-LON-000706)
Challenge to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s failure to ban cross sex hormones by private providers.  Zoe appeared for the well known campaigner Keira Bell as sole Counsel in the Divisional Court permission hearing (coverage here).

(on the application of DF) v Essex CC
[2023] EWHC 3330 (Admin)
Challenge to local authority decision making and obligations under s.20 of the Children Act 1989. Led by Clive Sheldon KC.

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust v MB
[2019] EWCOP 30
Court of Protection High Court case involving end of life decision making of a young man with profound disabilities who wanted to leave intensive care and return home to die with his family.

(on the application of Davey) v Oxfordshire CC
[2018] P.T.S.R. 281
Leading Court of Appeal case on decision making under the Care Act 2014. Led by Jonathan Auburn KC.

Zoe has experience acting both for and against the Information Commissioner in relation to high value and high-profile Monetary Penalty Notices involving IT related data breach cases.

Zoe also has experience in the context of group action challenges to the recording of personal data.

Her information law experience includes substantial work for the Information Commissioner and for public bodies on FOIA/EIR appeals in the First-tier and Upper Tribunals, frequently as sole counsel against silks and senior juniors.

Recent cases:

Page v ICO and the School of Sexuality Education
[2023] UKFTT 476 (GRC)
High profile challenge by a parent seeking information from a school on sex education provided by a third party provider.  Sole counsel for the appellant requestor in the First Tier Tribunal and led by Jonathan Moss in the Upper Tribunal (2025). 

Keighley v Information Commissioner and the BBC
[2023] UKUT 228 (AAC)
Upper Tribunal decision on BBC right to refuse requests where the information requested concerned the impartiality of the BBC and complaints regarding allegations of bias.  Sole counsel for the Information Commissioner

Department of Health and Social Care v Information Commissioner
[2020] UKUT 299 (AAC)
Upper Tribunal decision on section 35(1(a) FOIA exemption ‘chilling effect’ and ‘safe space’. Sole counsel for the Information Commissioner.

O’Hanlon v Information Commission Office
[2019] UKUT 34 (AAC)
Upper Tribunal consideration of the legal professional privilege exemption in the context of an allegation of bad faith. Sole counsel for the Information Commissioner.

Zoe has experience of working in high profile and complex investigations and inquiries.  This has included:

• The Covid Inquiry: acting for the Ministry of Defence in the inquiry streams on procurement and preparedness. This included advising on and assisting in the preparation of witness evidence that was to be submitted to the Inquiry.
• The Independent Review into Child Sexual Abuse in Football 1970-2005. Instructed by the Football Association in a four year independent investigation led by Clive Sheldon KC (as he was then now Mr Justice Sheldon) into child sexual abuse in football (2017 -2021). This was a high profile investigation which was covered extensively in the national media. The eventual report was over 700 pages long and the investigation had required the review of thousands of pages of documents dating back to the 1970s and hundreds of interviews with survivors and those involved in football over the last 50 years.
• Sole counsel to the review conducted by Sir Joseph Pilling into the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) the print industry regulator.