Education expert Salise Dourmoush promoted to Partner
Salise Dourmoush, an experienced solicitor in Geldards’ Education team, has been promoted to Partner in the firms’ new year round of promotions.
With over twelve years’ legal experience, Salise has spent the last eight years as a specialist Special Educational Needs (SEN) solicitor acting for clients on a wide range of issues pertaining to Special Educational Needs, helping to secure the best possible educational outcome for many vulnerable young people. Salise boasts particular expertise in SEND Tribunal cases and assisting clients with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP). An experienced advocate Salise holds regular training sessions to demystify SEND tribunal processes and final hearings, offering training to SENCOs and headteachers at specialist SEN schools nationwide.
Instrumental in the phenomenal success of Geldards Education team’s podcast SEN Talks, Salise co-hosts the show discussing a wide variety of SEN & Education law issues with colleagues and industry experts such as educational psychologists and occupational therapists. The podcast has garnered an impressive audience and has been significant in encouraging open dialogue about some of the key issues which SEN parents face. Alongside SEN Talks the team has created extremely informative and active social media channels, hosting regular Facebook live sessions as a highly effective means to engage with clients and the SEN community.
Salise has built up an impressive network of contacts in the SEN community, working closely with SEN schools and organisations, offering advice and support which often results in parental referrals. Salise provides ongoing pro bono support at clinics for the parents of SEND children, offering practical advice about legal rights and how to access further support. She also supported law students at Queen Mary University’s specialist SEN clinic in the University’s Legal Advice Centre, lending her expertise to law students running the Special Educational Needs and School Exclusions Clinic, helping them to gain a better understanding of SEN issues.
Salise has been ranked in Chambers and Partners legal directory as an Associate to Watch for the first time this year, and commended as “a very good solicitor who knows her stuff, puts parents at ease and has shown great compassion.” For the past two years she has achieved ranking in Legal 500 and comes ‘highly recommended’ as a Leading Associate.
Commenting on her promotion Jeff Pearson, Chief Executive at Geldards, said:
“Salise’s determination and focus on continually evolving Geldards’ Education team, coupled with her compassion, are a winning combination to provide the very best service to our clients. Our Education team is well established as a leading authority on SEN issues and their profile has grown significantly over the past few years, in no small part thanks to Salise’s drive and passion. I am delighted to offer my congratulations on her well-deserved promotion to Partner.”