Lacie is a Paralegal in the Education team. She assists on a wide range of educational issues, with a particular focus upon special educational needs/additional learning needs. Lacie is involved in the entire process from drafting EHC needs assessments through to assisting on complex appeals before both the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal and the Educational Tribunal for Wales.
Lacie is also involved in assisting parents with admissions appeals to the independent appeal panel for admissions and exclusion appeals to the independent review panel for exclusions in England and the independent appeal panel for exclusions in Wales.
Lacie has first-hand experience of the special educational needs landscape, having previously worked as a licensed special education teacher in the United States. She taught students with learning disabilities and ASD in the equivalent of a mainstream secondary school. In this role, it was her responsibility to write annual education plans, meet with parents to discuss continuing needs and engage with specialist experts and their reports.
Lacie holds a Masters Degree from Western Oregon University in Special Education as well as an LLB (Hons.) from Queen Mary, University of London.
Special education needs have always been important to me because my brother has Down Syndrome. I have witnessed his needs change from infanthood, now to adulthood and the amount of work my parents put in to make sure he has what he needs to succeed.