Daff Richardson > Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP > Oxford, England > Lawyer Profile
Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP Offices
9400 GARSINGTON ROAD
OXFORD BUSINESS PARK
OXFORD
OX4 2HN
England
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Daff Richardson
Work Department
Education and employment.
Position
Daff co-leads the firm’s multi-disciplinary education sector group, and is a partner in the employment department.
She advises institutional, corporate and individual clients on strategic and high-value employment matters including reorganisations and restructuring. Daff also advises senior executives and employers on boardroom disputes, and executive appointments and terminations. Her employer clients include higher education institutions, household name charities, and technology sector clients. She has advised senior figures in life sciences, IT, and education.
Penningtons Manches’ education sector group advises HEIs, private colleges, independent schools and other further and higher education institutions and charities. The group provides a full service to these clients including immigration advice, advice on corporate structures, charities, employment, real estate, governance, compliance and student issues.
Daff’s personal practice includes advising individual academics and institutions on employment issues, particularly where disciplinary action is taken. She also advises institutions on student complaint matters. Her clients include a household name educational charity, several Colleges of the University of Oxford and a leading independent school.
Career
Articled Morrell Peel & Gamlen 1987; qualified 1989; partner Morrell Peel & Gamlen 1995; joined Manches LLP upon the merger with Morrell, Peel & Gamlen 1997.
Memberships
Employment Lawyers’ Association.
Education
Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford (1985 Classics).
Lawyer Rankings
South East > Public sector > Public sector
(Leading individuals)Described by clients as ‘one of the top firms working in the public sector’, Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP education department is equipped to advise a broad range of higher and further education clients. Led by employment expert Daff Richardson in Oxford, the team’s areas of work also include real estate and regulatory law as well as reputation management issues. The ‘truly outstanding’ Sam Rose is a key contact for consumer law, public law challenges, governance issues and disputes relating to teaching and assessment.
South East > Employment > Employment: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40
Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is known for its strong sector-specific focus, with particular emphasis on work arising out of technology, charities, education, social housing, life sciences, and financial services. Practice leadership is shared between Daff Richardson and Eugene Wojciechowski, both of whom have longstanding experience in employment matters. Partner Gemma Woodhouse is a go-to name for discrimination issues, and acts for some of the firm’s key tech and education sector clients. Katie Glendinning focuses her practice on representing clients in the education sector including independent schools.
South East > Private client > Charities and not-for-profit
Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP advises education institutions, grant making charities, philanthropists and religious institutions with governance, powers and duties of trustees in addition to regulatory matters. With over three decades of experience, Daff Richardson leads the team and frequently assists clients with employment issues, including grievances and whistleblowing. Rachel Spruce is sought after by private clients for structural matters, including the formation of charitable trusts. All the individuals mentioned are located in Oxford.
London > Public sector > Education: institutions
Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is instructed by universities and Oxbridge colleges to handle ‘complex and cutting-edge cases‘ involving contentious employment and student disciplinary matters as well as handling a wide spectrum of governance and commercial matters in relation to data privacy, partnerships and contracts, and real estate. The team boasts notable expertise in issues related to safeguarding, student and staff misconduct, and industrial relations. Employment specialists Daff Richardson, who is based in Oxford, and Hilary Aldred, who practices from Cambridge, are regularly entrusted to act in complex mandates surrounding discrimination, freedom of speech, and no platforming. Oxford-based governance and student relations expert Sam Rose is also highly recommended. In London, immigration specialist Pat Saini and commercial expert Anna Frankum are further key contacts.
London > Private client > Charities and not-for-profit
Under the joint leadership of Daff Richardson and Hilary Aldred, the multi-practice offering at Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP advises a broad range of third sector clients including local and national charities, as well as education institutions, social housing and trade associations and religious organisations. The group has considerable strength in contentious side work, and Laura Dadswell advises many high-net-worth families on the creation of philanthropic structures, and ongoing compliance and governance issues.
Lawyer Rankings
- Employment: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40 South East > Employment
- Leading individuals South East > Public sector > Public sector
- Charities and not-for-profit South East > Private client
- Public sector South East > Public sector
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Insurance > Clinical negligence: claimant
- Real estate > Commercial property: Kent, Surrey, Sussex
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40
- Employment > Employment: Kent, Surrey, Sussex
- Employment > Employment: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40
- Private client > Family: Kent, Surrey, Sussex
- Private client > Family: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Insurance > Personal injury: claimant
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate: Kent, Surrey, Sussex
- Real estate > Social housing
Firm Rankings
- Finance > Banking and finance
- Private client > Charities and not-for-profit
- Real estate > Commercial property: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40
- Private client > Contentious trusts and probate
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Kent, Surrey, Sussex
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property
- Employment > Pensions
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Public sector > Public sector
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40
- Finance > Insolvency and corporate recovery