{"id":276554,"date":"2026-02-20T10:45:05","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T10:45:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dominiclevent.com\/blog\/?p=276554"},"modified":"2026-02-20T10:45:05","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T10:45:05","slug":"defamation-row-highlights-surge-in-university-litigation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominiclevent.com\/blog\/defamation-row-highlights-surge-in-university-litigation\/","title":{"rendered":"Defamation row highlights surge in university litigation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Legal disputes around higher education are becoming common and law faculties are not exempt \u2014 as a row between a university lecturer and a former student graphically illustrates.<\/p>\n

In a preliminary issues hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London last month, Aidan Eardley KC, a deputy High Court judge, set out the details of a row between the two unnamed litigants.<\/p>\n

The male law lecturer has alleged that a female former student defamed him in a dispute over his decision to award her a lower second-class degree.<\/p>\n

The student revealed that in 2020 she fell short of an upper second by just two points and alleged in correspondence with senior figures at the unnamed university that the lecturer and programme leader penalised her for having \u201crefused to engage in sexual acts\/conduct\u201d with him. <\/span><\/p>\n

In appeal of her law degree marks the woman claimed the lecturer had \u201cwarned\u201d her that if she refused to engage in a sexual relationship with him he would \u201creduce my grades\/marks\u201d and that she would \u201cnot be able to challenge his academic judgment\u201d.<\/p>\n

The woman went on to tell the authorities that \u201cengaging in a sexual relationship is contrary to my religious beliefs\u201d and that the incident \u201ccaused me upset and distress such as to require private counselling\u201d.<\/p>\n

And the woman added that after she refused to \u201cgo as far as required\u201d with the lecturer \u201cmy marks and grades were reduced unfairly\u2026 \u201d.<\/p>\n

The lecturer denies any wrongdoing. In a ruling that allowed the claim to proceed to a full trial, the judge explained that the academic had sued on the grounds that his former student\u2019s comments defamed him and caused serious harm to his reputation.<\/p>\n

In his ruling the judge agreed that the statements were defamatory and that the student should defend her remarks at trial with a \u201ctight timetable\u201d, considering that the case so far had suffered from being about five years \u201cin the doldrums\u201d.<\/p>\n

The dispute between the lecturer and his former student is a vivid example of the rise in litigation at universities, with issues ranging from suicides to value for money.<\/p>\n

Last week lawyers confirmed that officials at University College London had reached a settlement with graduates and students who had sued over claims that teaching quality significantly declined during the coronavirus pandemic and teacher strikes.<\/p>\n

Officials at University College London reached a settlement with graduates and students who sued over claims that teaching quality declined during the pandemic and teacher strikes<\/p>\n

While that university has settled, Asserson, the firm acting for the so-called student group claim, said that up to 170,000 students at other universities were continuing to seek financial compensation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The core argument, according to the lawyers, is that during the pandemic and the strikes students did not receive the in-person teaching and access to university facilities, such as libraries and studios, that they had paid for in tuition fees.<\/p>\n

Asserson confirmed that 36 other universities had received pre-action letters warning of potential litigation, including Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, King\u2019s College London and the LSE.<\/p>\n

The firm said no proceedings had yet been issued and those that had responded to the letters had denied liability.<\/p>\n

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