Recommendations
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Good to work with and clearly knows what she's doing
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'Expert in public services'
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[Abbie is] "Down to earth, sensible and pragmatic"
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Commentators mark her ability to tackle "highly technical work"
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'[Abbie is] genuinely brilliant'
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Leading individual
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"[Abbie is] very friendly, helpful and clear"
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Leading individual.
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"She brings a pragmatic and sensible approach, whilst never losing sight of fighting for clients interests."
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Clients describe her as "very responsive, tolerant and always willing to explain in a way we understand."
Experience
I am a charity lawyer with a particular expertise in social enterprise.
As one of the originators of the Community Interest Company, I was seconded to the UK government to work on the legislation and drafted the model constitutions. I was, by ministerial appointment, a member of the Office of the Third Sector Advisory Board. I was chair of trustees of PayPal Giving Fund UK (which operates eBay for Charity) and a trustee of the Fawcett Society which campaigns for the rights of women. I am now a school governor. I have particular expertise in the delivery of public services, providing strategic and legal advice to public bodies on when, whether and how to use alternative delivery models. I am recommended by Legal 500 and Chambers for my work in the charity and social enterprise sector.
I head our Public Services & Mutuals and Health & Social Care sector groups.
Highlights
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Achieving for Children
I advised on the spin out of the children’s services departments of Richmond and Kingston councils (£115m services) to a community interest company wholly owned by the two councils. It has gone from strength to strength with the DfE recently citing it as an example of best practice.
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Comic Relief
I advised the legal team at Comic Relief and Sports Relief on a wide variety of issues as and when they arise, often at short notice. Matters include social finance, grant making and high profile fundraising initiatives.
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Thomas Cook Group Plc
I advised on the establishment of the Safer Tourism Foundation follow the very sad deaths of two children on a Thomas Cook holiday. Thomas Cook worked with the children’s mother and others to setup this foundation.
- I worked with DfE on national Social Work Practices pilot advising various local authorities on the establishment of social enterprises for children’s services
- I advised West Sussex County Council on the transfer of adult and community learning services
- I advised Morgan Stanley on a £10 million grant to Great Ormond Street Hospital
- I advised Social Enterprise UK on governance and other advice
- I assisted the Electoral Reform Society with a governance review
- I also assisted Habitat for Humanity on their governance review
- I advised the National Deaf children society on a variety of both UK and international matters
- I advised Action on hearing Loss on governance and other matters
- I advised Plan International UK on grant making, fundraising and international governance
Areas of expertise:
Qualifications and career
- University of Cambridge, MA Economics, 1998
- College of Law, 1999
- Joined Bates Wells, 1999
- Admitted as a solicitor, 2001
- Seconded to the Department of Trade and Industry and to the Home Office working on community interest companies and the Charities Act 2006
Pro bono, memberships, and appointments
- Former member of Office of the Third Sector Advisory Board
- Former Trustee of the Fawcett Society
- Provided pro bono advice to numerous organisations
Insights
