Our People

David Browne
Partner & Head of Employment Law
David Browne
Partner & Head of Employment Law
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
David is Head of Employment Law and the lead employment partner for the firm’s education clients and provides sector specialist advice to universities and colleges. His exceptional clarity in explaining complex solutions and strategic advice has earned recognition in the Legal 500.

Smita Jamdar
Partner & Head of Education
Smita Jamdar
Partner & Head of Education
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Smita leads the team that works to shape the universities and colleges of the future by providing strategic advice and sector specific insight across all their legal needs.

Clive Read
Partner
Clive Read
Partner
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Clive has been advising universities and colleges on the management and development of their campuses for 30 years.

Esther Maxwell
Partner
Esther Maxwell
Partner
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Esther is an experienced and trusted advisor to the firm’s education clients and supports universities, FE colleges and schools in dealing with a range of sensitive and complex employment and education related issues. As well as being a solicitor, she is a qualified workplace mediator, using her mediation skills to help nip workplace issues in the bud. She also regularly undertakes investigations into matters involving both staff and students.

Kate Onions
Partner
Kate Onions
Partner
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Kate’s focus is on preventing disputes where possible and seeking commercial resolutions which align with her client’s goals when disputes do arise.

Mark Taylor
Partner
Mark is a Partner in our sector leading education team, advising on education collaborations and governance. Mark is recognised by Legal 500 and has spent all of his legal career advising in the education sector.

Martin Edwards
Partner
Martin Edwards
Partner
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Martin is known for his flexible thinking to resolve challenging situations for clients including developers, corporate occupiers, owners and investors.

Tom Long
Partner
Tom Long
Partner
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Tom is ranked as a Next Generation Partner in the Legal 500 United Kingdom 2024 edition and is also part of a team ranked as a Top Tier Firm for Education in the same edition.
Tom works with employers to prevent and resolve people issues, to ensure their organisations continue to work efficiently and effectively.

Anieka Sheppard
Legal Director
Anieka Sheppard
Legal Director
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Anieka assists education clients to realise their goal and resolve their problems.

Joanna Forbes
Legal Director
Joanna Forbes
Legal Director
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Joanna’s deep affinity for the education sector is reflected in her responsive approach and her practical, applied and thorough advice.
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Languages:
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English
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French
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My Recent Articles
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The consumer status of PhD students
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Marie-Therese Harper
Legal Director
Marie-Therese Harper
Legal Director
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Marie-Therese advises businesses and their owners on a wide variety of corporate transactions and complicated reorganisations to help them achieve their objectives.
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My Recent Articles
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Latest provisions for corporate disclosure & transparency
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Meriel O’Loughlin
Legal Director
Meriel O’Loughlin
Legal Director
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Meriel adopts a proactive and commercial approach to drive transactions forward to completion quickly, ensuring her clients interests are protected.

Emma Noble
Associate
Emma Noble
Associate
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Emma is a Solicitor within the firm’s Education team specialising in employment advice for education clients including independent schools and academies, as well as both further and higher education institutes

Amy Richardson
Solicitor
Amy Richardson
Solicitor
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Amy is a Solicitor within the firm’s Employment Team specialising in advising education clients including schools, academies, higher education institutions and universities.

Kate Bartels
Solicitor
Kate supports our education clients by providing practical advice to help them achieve their goals, minimise risk and resolve issues.

Sophie Plant
Solicitor
As a solicitor in our core Education team, Sophie helps our further and higher education clients on a wide variety of student-related and corporate governance matters including complaints and appeals, discrimination and equality law issues, policies and procedures and regulatory compliance.