Alison is a solicitor in our Education Law team.
Alison assists with a wide range of education cases including bringing challenges to the decisions of public bodies. Alison has an interest in cases concerning special educational needs provision, discrimination, children missing education and school disciplinary powers including suspension and permanent exclusion.
Alison has a particular interest in cases involving vulnerable adults and children including children in need and care leavers. Alison combined education, family and public law work during her training and understands the intersection of education law and family law. Alison has a compassionate and professional approach to client care and deals sensitively with individuals experiencing relationship breakdown and cases involving domestic abuse.
Alison has assisted with cases bringing challenges to the decisions of public bodies including complex public law cases including judicial review and civil claims involving claims for damages under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Equality Act 2010.
Alison has experience in cases concerning challenges to age assessments of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and the suitability of asylum accommodation and support provided to care leavers, asylum seekers and victims of trafficking. She also has experience in victim’s Rights to Review (VRR) cases with a focus on victims of domestic and sexual violence.
Alison has assisted solicitors in Court of Protection work including complex issues relating to care, residence, contact and deprivation of liberty and has worked on matters where instructions are received from the Official Solicitor. She has also assisted solicitors who represent individuals at the Mental Health Tribunal and bereaved families during inquests as well as community care matters.
Alison’s Family law experience includes public law children and private law children cases and disputes around child arrangements about where a child lives and who they spend time with including cases involving allegations of domestic abuse as well as divorce and the financial implications of couples separating.
Education and career
- Alison graduated from Barnard College, Columbia University, New York with a BA in Political Science achieving the highest distinction.
- Alison has a Master in International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, New York.
- Alison studied the Graduate Diploma in Law and the Legal Practice Course at London Metropolitan University, achieving a distinction in both.
- Alison has completed the Bar Practice Course at the University of Law.
- Alison is a Middle Temple Scholar and a University of Law Advocacy Scholar.
- Before joining Bindmans, Alison worked as a paralegal in an immigration law firm.
- Alison had a previous career in television.
- Alison currently volunteers for Refuge and has previously volunteered at Citizens Advice.
- Alison is a trained mediator.
Experience and cases
Alison has assisted on:
- Challenging the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s injustice findings in his investigation into state pension age changes
- R on the application of Sarah Leadbetter v Secretary of State for Transport [2023] EWHC 210 (Admin)
- R (Timson) v Secretary of State for Work and Pension [2022] EWHC 2392 (Admin)
- PH & Anor v Brighton and Hove City Council [2021] EWCOP 23
Professional memberships
- Young Legal Aid Lawyers (YLAL)
- Young Public Lawyers’ Group (YPLG)
- Human Rights Lawyers Association
- JUSTICE
- Resolution
