UK Top 100 law firm Ward Hadaway has appointed Jill Donabie as a partner in its Newcastle-based education team, strengthening its people related offering to schools of all kinds, academy trusts and colleges.
Jill brings extensive experience advising education clients across the North East and nationally. She works with them on staffing matters, as well as on parental related issues, pupil policies, exclusions and SEND issues.
Her appointment follows a period of growth in work from education providers, which has increased by approximately 40% in the last year.
Ward Hadaway has also appointed Emma Swann who joins as an education law partner and supports MATs, independent schools, FE colleges and Diocesan Boards on academy expansions, mergers and acquisitions, governance, pastoral and commercial matters.
Together, they add senior capability and capacity across complementary areas of Ward Hadaway’s education practice – commercial, education and employment law.
Graham Vials, Head of Education at Ward Hadaway, said: “Our growth reflects the range of issues now facing leadership teams in schools and trusts. Jill’s appointment adds further senior employment and people related expertise in Newcastle and nationally, while Emma brings additional commercial and governance experience to the practice. They strengthen the partner-led service we provide to clients, from day-to-day matters through to more complex work.”
The role adds to Ward Hadaway’s partner base in Newcastle and gives Jill a broader platform to use the expertise she has built over many years in the sector.
Jill said: “Education providers need advisers who are responsive, pragmatic and used to working with senior leaders under pressure. Much of the work in this sector is sensitive and time-critical, so it is important to enable organisations to make decisions with confidence.
“Ward Hadaway’s education practice has real breadth, and my new role gives me the opportunity to bring my experience into a wider team advising trusts, schools of all kinds and colleges across the North East and beyond.”
Their appointments follow the recent promotion of employment specialist Tom Shears to partner, adding further weight to the department.
Managing Partner Steven Petrie said: “Jill’s arrival reflects the continued growth of Ward Hadaway and adds further senior expertise to our Newcastle office. Together with Emma’s appointment, it strengthens our national education practice across commercial, governance, employment and student related work. These hires support our wider strategy of building specialist teams with the sector experience clients need, both regionally and nationally.”
