England - London • Public sector
Kingsley Napley LLP
Kingsley Napley LLP specialises in advising individuals facing disciplinary investigations in schools and higher education institutions and is strongly equipped to handle cases with criminal liability elements. The team regularly acts for students in sexual and academic misconduct cases, and it boasts a notable record of advising on academic appeals related to examination results, including appeals with disability discrimination elements. The team is co-headed by Iain Miller, Sophie Kemp, and criminal defence expert Sandra Paul, who regularly defends students against allegations of sexual offences. The team also draws on the expertise of regulatory experts Shannett Thompson, Julie Matheson, and Julie Norris, who are well-versed in handling disciplinary proceedings following allegations of academic misconduct.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘A market-leading firm with incredible dynamism and will to progress.’
‘Shanett Thompson is a great lawyer with a real flair for client management and an innate understanding for what makes clients tick.’
‘A really thorough and very well-prepared team. They prioritise client care over everything else. Very intelligent solicitors.’
‘Shannett Thompson is very bright and manages client expectations very well. Impeccable judgement.’
‘Shannett Thompson is an excellent tactician’
‘Julie Norris and the team were excellent. Each member of the team was very responsive and knowledgable in their field of expertise. Good resource allocation and clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Under Julie's direction a strategic approach, was agreed to which all team members were aligned and understood. I highly recommend Julie and the team.’
‘Julie Norris is a standout lawyer. Very quick to grasp the issue, and she is a great strategist. She is extremely responsive and available, a great communicator and dealt with sensitive issues well. Julie has enormous experience in her field and brought the matter to a swift and very satisfactory conclusion. I unreservedly recommend her.’
‘The KN Education team have a unique expertise in this growing but niche area. KN have built up a body of experience by advising students and representing them at hearings across a wide range. Plagiarism has been a particular topic, and KN are alive to the new challenges posed by AI.’
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Iain Miller, Sandra Paul, Sophie Kemp