Forbes Solicitors expands education team to boost national presence
Full-service law firm Forbes has appointed Emma Swann as a partner in its education team in response to a growing demand for support from schools.
With more than two decades of experience in the education sector, Emma will be spearheading the firm’s presence in the south. She has acted for a wide variety of clients, including maintained and independent schools, local authorities and Church of England Diocesan Boards. Emma advises schools on complex pastoral, governance and commercial matters as well as leading on Multi Academy Trust (MAT) expansions.
In her role at Forbes, Emma will work with the firm’s well-established national education team to expand its reach and boost its deep sector expertise.
Emma is joined by associate Coral Peutrill, who brings four years’ experience to the team.
Speaking of her appointment, Emma Swann, said: “Forbes has an impressive track record of delivering an authentically client-centric approach across the education sector. The opportunity to join such a brilliant and friendly team and drive growth was a compelling one as we establish Forbes as the number one regional law firm. I’m looking forward to working with the whole team to reach our ambitions.”
In her career, Emma has been instructed on some of the earliest sponsor academies and led on hundreds of academy conversions and transfers. She supports schools with complex parental complaints and SEND challenges to Local Authority placement. She also delivers commercial advice to academies and independent schools. Emma is a trustee for the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL).
Jonathan Holden, Partner and National Head of Education, added: “In recent years, our education team has experienced significant increased demand nationally and we are investing in our team to better serve our growing client base.
“As well as bringing in the best legal talent with excellent education credentials, it’s also important for us to find the right cultural fit. Emma and Coral ticked every box and we’re looking forward to building our business further and continuing to go above and beyond for our education clients.”