Eva Akins > Russell-Cooke LLP > Kingston upon Thames, England > Lawyer Profile
Russell-Cooke LLP Offices
Riverview House 20 Old Bridge Street Hampton Wick
KINGSTON UPON THAMES
KT1 4BU
England
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Eva Akins
Work Department
Education
Position
Eva is a partner and Head of Education Law at Russell-Cooke.
She is an expert in cases involving special educational needs and disability (SEND), Equality Act claims, admissions, exclusions, complaints and school governance in the independent and maintained sector.
Identified as a leader in the field, Eva has specialist knowledge in neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, dyslexia and dyspraxia. She has a particular interest in cases involving ‘dual exceptionality’.
It is Eva’s personal experience of SEND and exclusion that fuels her passion for this area of law and informs her empathetic style of client care. Eva believes that the problem with trying to fit a ‘square peg’ child into the round hole of an education system is not that the hammering is hard work; rather you risk destroying the peg!
Eva’s role is focused on squaring the circle and making the education system more fit for purpose. Where school is not appropriate, she secures comprehensive highly individualised education otherwise than at school.
Memberships
- Education Law Association
- Understanding ADHD in Girls and Women (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2021)
Education
Read Law at The University of Westminster graduating with First Class Honours and completed her legal studies at the College of Law London.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Public sector > Education: individuals
(Next Generation Partners)In addition to its expertise in education matters, the ‘very knowledgeable team‘ at Russell-Cooke LLP
has ‘vast experience in matters of family law‘, enabling it to regularly act for the families of students with special educational needs in Equality Act and disability discrimination claims, including SEN Tribunal appeals related to insufficiently comprehensive EHC plans, unjust school exclusions, and new school placements. Under the leadership of Eva Akins, a disability and education law expert with a thorough understanding of matters surrounding children with autims and ADHD, the practice also frequently acts on behalf of children requiring provisions for education other than at school. Lenka Wall is also recommended for her ability to represent clients in judicial reviews and Tribunal appeals. The practice underwent further growth with the arrival of Erin Smart from Irwin Mitchell in May 2023.