The Legal 500

Match Solicitors is headed by Ms Anita Chopra and Ms Salima Mawji, both of whom are considered leaders in the field. Both appear in the Legal Experts directory. Anita is a specialist in education law for the child, and Salima specialises in further and higher education. Both directors are renowned experts in education law.

The firm: Match Solicitors specialises in education law, with the directors undertaking work in all aspects of the field, primarily from the child and student perspective, although the firm has retained the services of schools and universities for advice. The firm’s reputation in this area continues to go from strength to strength and it entered The Legal 500 as a recommended law firm for education less than two years after its inception. Four years after inception the firm entered tier one of The Legal 500. This achievement reflects the directors’ strength in this area, as well as the passion and vigour with which they drive the firm.

Due to the growing reputation of the firm as a boutique education law practice, the directors are earning a reputation as good lawyers delivering an outstanding service alongside excellent results. As an objective example of this, Anita Chopra has been identified by the national media as the voice for education lawyers acting for children and parents. Over the last two years she has appeared on BBC Breakfast, Sunrise TV, Teachers TV, ITV London Tonight, BBC Tees, Radio 5 Live and LBC, and has been quoted in almost all national newspapers, including The Times, The Telegraph and The Guardian, on live education issues.

Both directors have been interviewed on BBC Solent and the firm has been highlighted as a specialist education law practice in the education section of the Saturday Telegraph. They have recently been asked to write a weekly column in The Times Educational Supplement regarding key education issues. The directors were finalists in the Asian Achievers Awards 2008 in the category of ‘Women of the Year’. They also presented the Platinum Award at the ceremony with Mr Ed Balls MP, the then Education Minister.

Salima Mawji is increasingly being seen as one of the very few specialists in this area and has secured a number of key referrals from other practices, including education practices, that acknowledge her as the key expert in this area. This last year has seen a significant increase in higher education internal appeals and appeals to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education. The firm has enjoyed a 95% success rate in achieving results for students at universities or colleges.

The firm continues to enjoy a thriving practice and has achieved a great deal in a short space of time. It has seen an 80-85% success rate in cases and about 5% of the firm’s annual turnover is dedicated to pro bono work.

The firm has grown over the last five years and now has two solicitors, one advocate and two key support staff. It has built an excellent reputation for service to its clients and continues to develop the key areas on which it currently focuses. The directors are ambitious and intend to create, over the next five years, a thriving education practice with a resounding reputation for quality of work, service to the client and for uncompromising excellence.

Types of work undertaken: The firm’s work spans the spectrum of education-related issues, including exclusions, admissions, special educational needs, discrimination, bullying, complaints, appeals and applications to the High Court, assisting teachers with employment-related issues, all university and college-related issues, appeals to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator, breach of contract, negligence and general civil claims.

The firm also has burgeoning employment and litigation practices generated by work from all departments. Claims are brought on behalf of teachers and lecturers against schools or higher education institutions. The further and higher education department has also been sought out by select institutions to provide advice and assistance to their employment base.

Breakdown of work %
Education 75
Civil litigation 10
Public law 10
Employment 5

Number of UK directors 2
Number of other UK fee-earners 2