HR Update: Practice and Law in Education - London - Speakers

Dai Durbridge, Partner, Browne Jacobson LLP (Chair)

Dai is an expert education lawyer at Browne Jacobson and heads up the North West team.  He advises schools, academies and MATs on frontline education matters, including admissions and exclusions, parental complaints, GDPR and all safeguarding issues. Dai supports schools with employment related safeguarding issues, including the single central record, overseas checks, positive DBS disclosures and complex investigations following allegations against staff.  Dai also works closely with the expert HR advisors and specialist employment lawyers at Browne Jacobson on a range of issues for schools where safeguarding and/or GDPR is a complicating factor.  Dai also carries our MAT safeguarding audits to support Trusts with improving safeguarding practices at each academy and developing consistent approaches and structures that support best practice trust-wide safeguarding. He is also a recognised expert in GDPR and data protection for schools, supporting schools with all aspects of data protection and has devised and delivered DPO training to over 400 school DPOs to support them in their role.

Ellie Boyd, Solicitor, VWV

Ellie has over 5 years' experience as a specialised employment lawyer working with VWV's education clients. In addition, Ellie advises the firm's charity, corporate and commercial clients. She regularly advises on both contentious and non-contentious matters including disciplinary, grievance and capability procedures, safer recruitment, general day to day HR matters, staff contracts, handbooks and policies, workplace disputes, settlement agreements and business reorganisations. Ellie is also well versed with advising the firm's academy clients on conversions and on collective terms and conditions of employment. Ellie is a regular contributor to VWV's weekly employment law brief and a frequent speaker at their seminars.

Jean Boyle, Partner, Employment Team, Stone King LLP

Jean is an accomplished employment lawyer who specialises in acting for those in the not-for-profit and education sectors, and is fully versed in the employment law issues facing these organisations. Jean is Deputy Head of Education and provides practical, sector specific advice, working with clients to support their strategic plans and provide client-focused support.

Ian Deakin, Partner, Browne Jacobson LLP 

Ian is a Partner in Browne Jacobson’s employment team, based in Manchester. Qualified in 2006, Ian has extensive experience of working with clients in the Education sector and advises on all aspects of employment law including strategic work, employment tribunals and day to day advice.
 

Kimberley Evans, Founder, Nourish the Workplace

Kimberley gives schools the tools to identify how to improve the wellbeing of their staff. Having worked in education for over 20 years as a teacher and TA, Kimberley set up Nourish the Workplace two years ago to make a positive difference to the profession that she loves. She recently co-edited and contributed to The Big Book of Whole School Wellbeing which is out now. 

Hear from Kimberley about her upcoming keynote in this short video.

Stephen Mitchell, Director, Keystone Knowledge

Stephen has a background in strong educational management, now working with several organisations across the country, as well as being CEO of a high performing Trust. He is a Fellow of the ISBL. He completed his MBA with a thesis on Improving the Quality of Management in Education.  Stephen is an accredited SRMA, supporting schools across the country, and helping schools put into place action plans which improve the use of resources and focus on ensuring better provision of services to children. Stephen is an advocate of the Sustainable Schools System, ensuring that excellence in teaching and learning is paired with operational effectiveness and financial efficiency.

Nick Murrell, Associate, VWV

Nick is an Associate in VWV's Employment team who specialises in supporting schools on contentious and non-contentious matters. With over nine years' qualification, Nick has a wealth of experience advising education clients on academy conversions and transfers, disciplinary, grievance and capability processes, employment tribunal litigation, settlement agreements, safer recruitment, the single central record, redundancy and restructure processes, employment contracts, staff handbooks and policies, nationally agreed terms and conditions, service occupancies, industrial action, voluntary trade union recognition, family leave entitlements, annual leave entitlements and working time issues. Nick is a regular speaker at seminars and conferences and frequently writes for VWV education publications.

Naseem Nabi, Partner, VWV

With 20 years' experience of the education sector, Naseem is well placed to advise on all aspects of employment law and safeguarding. She predominately advises academies and independent schools advising on MAT growth and academy conversions; trade union relations; staffing efficiencies, restructuring and redundancy. Naseem is well versed in tackling sensitive staffing and incident management issues in a pragmatic and commercial way. Her track record in building strong relationships with clients means she is a trusted adviser to many of VWV's clients, steering senior leaders and governors through challenging situations, making difficult decisions in the best interests of the school.

Tom Wallace, Senior HR Consultant, Browne Jacobson LLP

Tom specialises in educational HR, with a particular focus on academies. Tom has managed and led on a variety of change management projects including restructures, workforce reductions and pay reviews.

Peter Woodhouse, Partner, Stone King LLP 

Peter has been assisting clients in employment matters since he qualified in 1991. He advises on a full range of employment matters and aims to provide support to clients managing change in their business. He was a partner at a large Bristol firm before becoming a partner at Stone King LLP in March 2006. He is qualified as a solicitor and barrister and for 10 years was believed to be the only solicitor on the panel of Treasury Counsel. Peter has acted for numerous clients over the years including owner-managers as well as multi-nationals. Peter considers that businesses prefer to act responsibly both as a matter of policy and economics. He works with clients to ensure their outcomes in terms of responsible business are delivered.