The School Legal Services Team
Matt Richards
Matt Richards, the founder and senior partner of School Legal Services, has over 20 years experience in the world of education law.
Matt Richards - Founder and Senior Partner
Matt also owns and runs School Legal Services sister company, School Appeals Services, now the largest provider of legal advice and guidance to those undertaking school admission appeals to secure the schools of their choice.
Matt has appeared regularly as a guest on Sky News, Radio 5 live, LBC Radio Breakfast News and Nick Ferrari programmes to talk about school admission and education issues appeals. He also is regularly quoted and writes for the national press such as the Mail, Daily Telegraph, Guardian and also the specialist publications (Education Law journal) on education matters.
Matt acts as practice manager and directs the workings of School Legal Services.
Laura Berman
Solicitor
Bsc (Hons)
Laura qualified as a solicitor in 1996 and has 13 years experience in private practice in the field of Education. She is a specialist in a broad spectrum of educational issues and is an experienced parental advocate, having supported parents in appeals to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SEND) and in both admission and exclusion appeals.
Laura Berman
Laura has been quoted as a leader in the field of education in the Chambers Directory for 5 consecutive years since 2005 and has represented clients on ground-breaking cases such as Bradford Smart v West Sussex County Council (the first bullying case in the High Court) and Phelps v London Borough of Hillingdon and Anderton v Clwyd County Council (precedent setting cases in the House of Lords).
Laura was a previously a partner and head of department at a highly respected city law practice.
Laura has supported parents of children with a wide variety of special educational needs. As a parent herself and with her experience in the field, Laura is sympathetic to the stress that parents go through at what can be a life changing time for their children. Laura provides a thoroughly professional, but also approachable and friendly service and by doing so she will help you through the appeals process so that you may secure a school place of your choice.
Laura is based in London, but is able to travel.
Laura is not currently practising as a solicitor so any advice given is in her capacity as an associate of School Legal Services and not as a lawyer.
Nabil Dance
LLB (Hons) BVC
Nabil is an experienced paralegal and parental advocate who has completed the vocational stage of Barrister’s training.
Nabil Dance
As well as working in private practice, Nabil has supported parents in their appeals to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Panel Tribunal (SEND) as a Legal Advisor for the National Deaf Children’s Society, and as a volunteer in the not-for-profit sector. These roles involved supporting parents of children with a wide variety of needs and difficulties ranging from hearing and visual impairments to those on the autism spectrum.
Nabil has a very family friendly approach and is particularly keen to empower parents by helping them to understand what is usually a bewildering process of getting the right level of support for their children.
Nabil is highly respected within the field and has an exceptional and wide ranging knowledge base of LEA’s and schools. His clients have only great things to say about his abilities and attitude to customer care (see our testimonials page for examples.)
David Boobyer
David qualified as a solicitor in 1993 and is a member of the Educational Law Association. As well as working with School Appeals Services, David is a Director for Tollers LLP, a large legal practice, and specialises in
David Boobyer
the following types of educational issues:-
- School appeals -representing parents before the Appeals Panel.
- Legal issues involving school closures.
- SENDIST applications in relation to Statements of Special Educational Need.
- Educational Negligence.
- Contractual issues arising from private education.
- Advice on School Exclusions.
- David has spent many years volunteering at a Youth Agency in Northampton, training as a Counsellor and offering legal advice on a wide range of education issues.
