Phoenix Law, a Belfast-based legal firm, has launched a group action against universities in Northern Ireland on behalf of students whose education was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The firm claims students paid full tuition fees expecting in-person teaching, access to campus facilities, and a complete university environment as promised at enrolment.

Universities suspended in-person classes following the March 2020 lockdown, switching to remote learning for the rest of the semester. A hybrid model operated briefly in autumn 2020 before returning to online teaching in winter, with in-person sessions resuming in January 2022.

Phoenix Law seeks compensation for breach of contract, consumer rights violations, and loss of educational experience, arguing universities failed to provide equivalent value, practical opportunities, or access to facilities and services.

Megan Burns of Phoenix Law stated that the situation constituted a breach of trust and contract, as students paid for a full university experience that was not delivered.

The firm is encouraging affected students in Northern Ireland to join the group action. Similar challenges are facing dozens of UK universities in English courts.