Freedom of Information: The Exemptions - Act Now
Correctly identifying and applying the exemptions to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act is one of the main legal and practical challenges that public authorities face on a daily basis.
This interactive workshop focuses entirely on the FOI exemptions in Part 2 of the Act. Using case studies, recent cases and ICO guidance, the course tutor examines each exemption in turn, with particular emphasis on the most widely used exemptions including Section 21, 36, 40, 41 and 43. We will also examine what makes a good Refusal Notice.This is an intermediate workshop primarily aimed at people who have some experience of handling FOI requests but wish to enhance and develop their knowledge of the exemptions and how to apply them in practice.
Alongside the tutor's expert knowledge of the FOI, the case studies and exercises will enhance your knowledge of the FOI exemptions.
Key Topics
- The types of exemption; absolute and qualified
- Prejudice based exemptions-how do they work in practice?
- Qualified exemptions- how to do a Public Interest Test
- Requests involving personal data
- Administrative exemptions
- National Security, Public Safety exemptions
- Justice exemptions
- Communications within and between institutions
- Commercial Confidentiality exemptions
- The EIR exemption
- Neither confirm nor deny responses
- Drafting a Refusal Notice
- Internal Reviews and Enforcement
Event Information
| Event Date | 10-03-2026 10:00 am |
| Individual Price | From £449 plus VAT |
| Location | Online (live) |
Events
How to Handle a Subject Access Request - Act Now 
CCTV, Drones and Body Worn Cameras: Ensuring Data Protection Compliance - Act Now
10-04-2026 10:00 am
Online (live)
Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation: beyond planning - Landmark Chambers
13-04-2026
Online (live)
HMPL Building Blocks: A Housing Officer’s Guide to Court Proceedings - Devonshires
14-04-2026
Online (live)
Local Authorities Invited to Specialist Training on Judicial Review Risks in Planning Decisions - 4-5 Gray's Inn Square 
Lessons learned in 2025 - a public law update - 42BR 
Certified Data Protection Officer Training (CDPO) - The Training Centre
20-04-2026 9:00 am
Online (live)
Getting it right first time: Making lawful decisions (Webinar Series) - Public Law Project
21-04-2026
Online (live)
Rating Nuts and Bolts webinar series: Occupied, unoccupied and rates mitigation - Landmark Chambers
21-04-2026
Online (live)
39 Essex Chambers Half-Day Construction Conference in Leeds - 39 Essex Chambers
22-04-2026
North-east
Family Law 'Know How' Talk Series: Molly Mifsud Discussing Police Disclosure Orders- College Chambers
22-04-2026
Online (live)
Introduction to Judicial Review - DWF 
What’s a fair grade? Academic assessment and the duty to make reasonable adjustments - 3PB
22-04-2026 11:00 am
Online (live)
Public Sector Insights: Managing risk in construction contracts - Blake Morgan
23-04-2026
Online (live)
AI and Information Governance: Bridging Innovation and Compliance - Act Now
23-04-2026 10:00 am
Online (live)
Webinar: Assessing/Recording of Fluctuating capacity - Spire Barristers
23-04-2026 4:00 pm
Online (live)
Planning injunctions - Ivy Legal |
Click here to view our archived articles or search below.
|
|
ABOUT SHARPE PRITCHARD
We are a national firm of public law specialists, serving local authorities, other public sector organisations and registered social landlords, as well as commercial clients and the third sector. Our team advises on a wide range of public law matters, spanning electoral law, procurement, construction, infrastructure, data protection and information law, planning and dispute resolution, to name a few key specialisms. All public sector organisations have a route to instruct us through the various frameworks we are appointed to. To find out more about our services, please click here.
|
Register for event alerts
On demand webinars
The A to Z of Housing Discrimination Case Law - Akerman-Livingstone v Aster
Iris Ferber KC and Karolina Zielinska start at “A”: Akerman-Livingstone v Aster Communities, heard by the Supreme Court in 2015.
The A to Z of Housing Discrimination Case Law: Paragon Housing v Neville
Iris Ferber KC and Peter Jolley discuss Paragon Asra Housing v Neville, heard by the Court of Appeal in 2018.
The A to Z of Housing Discrimination Case Law: Nightingale v Bromford Housing
Iris Ferber KC and Natalie Foster discuss Nightingale v Bromford Housing, heard by the High Court in 2024.
The A to Z of Housing Discrimination Case Law: Laidley v Metropolitan Housing Trust
Iris Ferber KC and Matthew Timm discuss Laidley v Metropolitan Housing Trust, heard by the Court of Appeal in 2025: an important case about Equality Act assessors.
Leaving care provisions demystified!
Ann Osbourne and Alison Pryor discuss local authority duties under the Children Act 1989 and the Care Act 2014 – when the duties arise, what they encompass, human rights assessments, and the interface with the issues of immigration and homelessness.
Chickens, Fish and Lobsters - how are they protected?
42 Bedford Row provide an analysis of legal protections on particular species and case law in the area.
Interveners in financial remedy proceedings
To continue our current family law webinar series, Andrew and Catrin discuss practical tips for intervener claims in financial remedy proceedings – how to identify them, case management, preparing documentation and costs considerations.
Standish 18 months on
Paul Pavlou and Anne Hogarth revisit the case of Standish v Standish 18 months on, examining the judgment’s impact on financial remedy practice and emerging judicial trends, as well as presenting a general case law update.
|
OUR KEY LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTACTS
|
||
|
Partner 020 7406 4600 Find out more |
||
|
Partner 020 7406 4600 Find out more |
||
|
Rachel Murray-Smith Partner 020 7406 4600 Find out more |
Catherine Newman
