Educational Institution specialist joins Geldards’ successful Education Law team
Educational Institution specialist Thomas Emmett joins Geldards’ successful Education Law team.
Geldards is pleased to announce that Thomas Emmett, a leading specialist legal advisor to educational institutions and expert in Special Educational Needs (SEN), will be joining Geldards’ national Education Law team as Partner and Head of Schools, Colleges and University services. His expertise will strengthen the firm’s growth strategy for the highly specialist team, enhancing their support for clients across the education sector.
Geldards’ Education Law team are recognised as a leading national practice in Education, Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Disability Law and is ranked by Chambers and Legal 500. The team has seen significant growth over the past few years to meet increased demand from parents, students and educational institutions seeking legal services.
Thomas joins from Knights, which recently acquired Birkett Long where he was a Partner and the Head of Education. He brings with him a wealth of experience advising schools, academies, colleges and higher education institutions on commercial, corporate, data protection, regulatory and education law matters. He also assists parents, carers and young people with advice on EHC plans and SEND Tribunal matters. Thomas is passionate about ensuring that educational institutions are equipped to achieve the best possible outcomes for the students they teach and support.
Strengthening Geldards’ highly skilled Education Law team, Thomas will provide expert legal advice to educational institutions from across the country, including maintained schools, single academy trusts, multi-academy trusts, independent schools, further education and higher education institutions. His areas of expertise include SEN related matters, exclusions, safeguarding, disability discrimination claims, commercial contracts, data protection and academy trust mergers.
Commenting on his appointment Partner & Head of Education Law, Adam Friel said:
“We are excited to welcome Thomas to our expanding Education Law team. Our team has earned a well-deserved reputation in the education sector as the ‘go to’ firm for education law matters and we are pleased to be strengthening our service further. Thomas brings an extensive knowledge of education law and a proven track record in advising parents, students, schools, colleges and universities in achieving successful outcomes.”
On joining the Education Law team as Partner and Head of Schools, Colleges and Universities Thomas added:
“I’m really pleased to have joined the talented and highly respected Education Law team at Geldards. With educational institutions facing an ever-increasing number of complex legal challenges, I look forward to working with the team and the wider firm to deliver specialist sector driven legal advice to school, college and university clients across the country.”