Jonathan Fowles acted for the Attorney General in The Keepers and Governors of the Possessions, Revenues and Goods of the Free Grammar School of John Lyon, within the Town of Harrow-on-the-Hill v Attorney General [2024] EWHC 2857 (Ch). The case concerned Harrow School’s claim for a cy-près scheme to expand and update its objects originally set out in a Royal Charter of 1572. In his judgment, the Hon. Mr Justice Rajah rejected the claim. The judgment is important for its discussion of the cy-près jurisdiction and as the first authority on certain provisions of the Public Schools Act 1868 which was passed to reform the affairs of 7 leading public schools, including Harrow, following the report of the Clarendon Commission.

Jonathan, instructed by the Commercial Law Group – Litigation Government Legal Department, acted on behalf of the defendant.

An article published about the case was feautred in The Times on Wednesday, 2 November 2024, is available to subscribers and can be read in full here.