ISBA

32 www.theisba.org.uk CONFERENCE SPEAKERS Charlotte Melhuish Charlotte is a senior associate at Stone King and works closely with Helen Tucker, head of the independent schools’ team. Charlotte is a specialist education solicitor with more than nine years’ experience working with independent schools. She has particular expertise in supporting schools with matters concerning special educational needs, disability discrimination and safeguarding. Charlotte also advises schools in relation to contentious and complex parental complaints, termination of parent contracts and data protection compliance. She regularly delivers training to schools on key issues affecting the sector, and is often invited to speak at national and regional events for the sector. Charlotte is a governor of her local independent school and was a recognised leading legal practitioner in education in Chambers and Partners 2016. B2 15.10 – 15.50 HR and employment law update (repeat session) Andrea Tishler Andrea heads up GBH Law’s team of independent school specialists and has extensive experience of advising on a full range of legal matters. She is an experienced employment law solicitor and provides focused and valuable advice on day-to-day employment matters such as staff contracts and disciplinary matters, as well as advising on parent disputes and providing special needs advice. She takes the time to get to know her clients, building relationships and taking a hands-on approach. Andrea also regularly provides training for schools, both on a bespoke basis and at events within the independent school community and also runs regular informal Q&A sessions for independent school clients to share knowledge and experience about topical issues. B3 15.10 – 15.50 Finance update (repeat session) John Foskett John is a partner at RSM. He has a broad range of tax experience from more than 20 years in practice, specialising in corporation tax compliance and tax advisory, particularly in the public and third sector. John is a member of the public and third sector tax group at RSM, and speaks regularly on corporation tax and stamp taxes matters including the tax implications for public and third sector organisations. B4 15.10 – 15.50 Governance – what does a well-structured board look like? Cheryl Connelly Cheryl is director of training at AGBIS and was educated at Northumbria University where she completed an honours degree in business management. Having spent five years in the Civil Service, Cheryl moved to the Training and Enterprise Council where she advised public and private businesses on best practice and developed and delivered workshops to equip their own staff with the necessary skills to deliver continuous improvement. During this time, she also completed her post graduate diploma in personnel and development. Cheryl then became an inspector with the Audit Commission where she led corporate compliance inspections at county and district councils, police authorities and fire authorities across the UK. After a decade at the Audit Commission, Cheryl moved into the education sector as a business manager and clerk to the governors, spending six years in the maintained sector before spending the past three years in the same role at an independent school. During this time, she also completed her fellowship in personnel and development and MSc in business education management. Cheryl has served for 17 years as a school governor, including as chair of governors and chair of finance and resources. Having joined AGBIS in September 2019, Cheryl is also a governor at a girls’ prep school in Woking. C1 16.00 – 16.40 Legal update (repeat session) Kristine Scott Kristine leads Harrison Clark Rickerbys education team and focuses on issues relating to staff, pupils and parents – from sensitive dismissals to pupil exclusions, and parental complaints. Kristine has many years’ experience of child protection and safeguarding, advising on the full range of issues including allegations against staff, peer on peer abuse, ‘live’ matters as well as conducting retrospective reviews. Kristine is trusted to support education clients with multi-agency working including the duty to refer and/or report. She is recognised UK-wide as a leading practitioner and expert in the field of education and employment law. Kamal Chauhan Kamal is a partner at Harrison Clark Rickerbys and an expert regulatory defence solicitor. He works closely with the education team. He advises education clients on both the regulatory aspects arising in transactional matters and advocating on behalf of and defending clients who are under investigation and pursued by a regulatory body. Kamal also helps clients by providing a regulatory risk management service and has spoken widely on the subject. Kamal and the wider regulatory group present at seminars, provide a 24/7 rapid response service and they offer training on a variety of regulatory topics including the practical steps to take when being investigated and prosecuted by a regulator. Oliver Daniels Oliver is a partner within the education team at Harrison Clark Rickerbys, advising, in particular, independent schools and academies on employment- related matters including complex restructures, performance management issues, ill health absence, disciplinary and grievance processes, severance arrangements, school specific holiday pay issues and Employment Tribunal proceedings. He also regularly provides assistance to schools in ensuring that internal policies and procedures and contracts of employment are legally compliant and work in practice. Oliver is a recognised speaker within the sector delivering in-house training for schools and has spoken at previous ISBA annual conferences and HR days providing employment law updates and interactive sessions on specific topics such as managing sickness absence. Rachel Parkin Rachel is a partner in the employment team at Harrison Clark Rickerbys. She advises a broad range of clients in the education sector on all aspects of the employment relationship. She regularly helps schools deal with performance management issues, ill health, restructuring, disciplinary and grievance procedures, Employment Tribunal cases and advises on sensitive and complex issues, including senior severances. She regularly delivers training to clients and is a frequent speaker at sector events. Rachel is known for being clear and dependable and works closely with schools to make the process as easy as possible, providing considered, commercial and practical advice.