Mark Blois > Browne Jacobson LLP > Nottingham, England > Lawyer Profile
Browne Jacobson LLP Offices
MOWBRAY HOUSE
CASTLE MEADOW ROAD
NOTTINGHAM
NG2 1BJ
England
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Mark Blois
Work Department
Business Services
Career
Mark is the national head of our education team. He is a leading expert in education law and governance and has been recommended as a leader in his field for almost 20 years in Chambers and Legal 500. Chambers ranks him as one of only two lawyers ranked in Band One nationally for recommended schools lawyers. Legal 500 includes him in their Hall of Fame, which highlights law firm partners who are at the pinnacle of the profession.
Mark also has over 20 years’ experience of serving in governance roles in the school, academy and further education sectors. Between 2011 and 2021, Mark served as the Chair of the L.E.A.D Academy Trust, a 25 school multi-academy trust operating in the East Midlands, Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire region educating over 10,500 children and young people. Mark continues as the Trust’s Vice Chair.
Mark regularly speaks at national conferences including those of the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), the Association of School & College Leaders (ASCL), the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) and the National Governance Association (NGA). Mark is also a Trustee of the National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN).
Trained Browne Jacobson; qualified 1998; judicial assistant Court of Appeal 1998; partner Browne Jacobson LLP 2006.
Memberships
- NCTL designated National Leader of Governance (NLG)
- Chair of LEAD multi-academy trust (9 strong primary school academy group) – chair of governors
Education
York University (BA Hons History and Philosophy 2(1)); University College, London (MA Law, Merit).
Lawyer Rankings
East Midlands > Public sector > Public sector
(Leading individuals)With dedicated teams across the education, healthcare and local government sectors, Browne Jacobson LLP is equipped to handle some of the biggest and most complex matters in the market. The team works for significant public and private sector clients, including multi-academy trusts, charities and various government and NHS bodies. Peter Ware is the head of the government sector and is known for his projects and procurement work. Gerard Hanratty leads the health team, specialising in advising clients on their public law obligations. The education team is led by Mark Blois who has a particular focus on governance matters. Leanne Wareham moved to an inhouse role with NHS England.
London > Public sector > Education: schools
(Hall of Fame)Browne Jacobson LLP provides ‘exceptional advice and guidance‘ to schools and academy trusts and is active on the full range of education matters, including safeguarding, data protection, Ofsted inspection challenges, responses to industrial action, and parental complaints. The team is particularly well-regarded for its close relationships with many of the country’s largest multi-academy trusts, who frequently instruct the team to provide corporate advice in the context of restructuring, academy conversion, and governance matters. The team comprises multidisciplinary specialists across the UK and is led by Nottingham-based lawyer Mark Blois, who handles a wide array of governance matters and is also highly recommended for his ability to provide advice on new DfE guidelines surrounding employment and safeguarding issues. Other key contacts in the team include the Exeter-based Julia Green, who is reputed for her expertise in academy conversions, Birmingham lawyers Richard Freeth and Philip Wood, who are key contacts for pastoral and admissions issues, and Nottingham-based Ofsted inspections expert Katie Michelon. In London, Charlotte Antoniou is noted for her close relations with academy trusts and her ability to handle restructuring matters and parental complaints.
Lawyer Rankings
- Leading individuals East Midlands > Public sector > Public sector
- Public sector East Midlands > Public sector
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Finance > Banking and finance
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: Nottingham and Derby
- Real estate > Commercial property: Nottingham and Derby
- Real estate > Construction
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Nottingham and Derby
- Finance > Insolvency and corporate recovery
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Insurance > Personal injury and clinical negligence: defendant
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate
- Real estate > Planning and environment
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Private finance initiative (PFI)
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Public sector > Public sector
- Real estate > Social housing
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport