Specialist boutique firm SEN Legal has a stellar national reputation for special educational needs and disability matters. The firm has consistently achieved a higher than 90% success rate for its work in SEND Tribunal appeals, disability discrimination, judicial review, social care, personal budgets, and exclusions. The team is ‘very clear on the law and very good with clients’, and the firm is ‘second to none in the field of special educational needs law’. Practice heads Hayley Mason-Seager (who is ‘a force to be reckoned with’) in Cambridge, and and Nicole Lee in Bury St Edmund lead a skilled group of experience solicitors in James Brown, Richard Nettleton and the ‘extremely competent and empathetic’ Idhren Drew. Founding partner Melinda Nettleton left the firm in 2024.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Idhren Drew is extremely competent and empathetic in a field where families are under a lot of stress. James is very easy to work with.'
- 'Hayley Mason-Seager knows more about law in this field than many specialist barristers.'
- 'The team at SEN legal are second to none in the field of special educational needs law. They are experts in dealing with all cases in the SEND tribunal. They work with a number of highly skilled expert witnesses and consistently achieve positive outcomes for their clients. They have developed positive working relationships with many independent special schools and can offer parents advice not only in relation to the law but also practical advice on suitable placements for children with a range of complex needs.'
- 'Hayley Mason-Seager is a force to be reckoned with. She works extremely hard to achieve good outcomes for her clients, consistently going above and beyond. She is extremely knowledgeable in her field, a passionate advocate for parents and a skilled negotiator. Parents are lucky to have her fighting their corner.'
- 'Richard Nettleton is meticulous in his approach to cases and has a very keen eye for detail. He is bright, reliable and extremely hard working.'
- 'Nicole Lee is an asset to the team. Her knowledge of EOTAS is brilliant.'
- 'James Brown is a pleasure to work with. He is calm under pressure, sensitive to the needs of his clients and always pragmatic.'
- 'There are not enough superlatives to express how much I think of the team at SEN Legal. They held my hand every step of the way in securing an EHCP for my daughter, I could not have done it without them. Their knowledge of the law, case studies and precedent is impressively deep, their communication style is efficient, proactive and no-nonsense, and on top of all this, each member of the team is kind, personable and helpful. SEN Legal's passion for their work - for sticking up for young people and parents - shines through in everything they do. I wholeheartedly recommend SEN Legal.'
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Hayley Mason-Seager; Nicole Lee
Other key lawyers
James Brown; Richard Nettleton; Idhren Drew; Bethan Hone; Annabel Moore; Allys Kelsey; Sophie Norris