Browne Jacobson education lawyer Philip Wood has been honoured at The Lawyer Awards 2026 – one of the most prestigious accolades in the legal profession. 

Philip won the Associate of the Year category at the annual ceremony, held at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel in London last night (16 June) after being selected by a panel of judges drawn from the Bar, private practice and in-house legal sectors. 

The award recognises Philip's exceptional contribution to education law, his groundbreaking litigation work in relation to disability discrimination and sustained commercial performance – all delivered against a backdrop of one of the most challenging periods the sector has ever faced amid an escalating special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) crisis. 

It covered the period in which Philip, who joined the UK and Ireland law firm as a newly-qualified solicitor in 2017, was Principal Associate. He was promoted to Partner in April this year. 

Philip said: “It’s a huge honour to receive this recognition, although I’m acutely aware that any success in this area is never down to one person. The cases I work on involve some of the most vulnerable young people in society – children with complex needs, whose futures depend in large part on getting the law right. That responsibility keeps me grounded.  

“I’m incredibly grateful to my colleagues, who offer exceptional support every day, as well as our school and academy trust clients, who are doing extraordinary work under enormous pressure and trust us with some of their biggest challenges.” 

A national expert at the heart of the SEND crisis  

Philip specialises in pastoral education law, with expertise in disability discrimination, exclusions, and SEND – three interconnected areas at the heart of the most pressing issues facing schools today.  

UK Government spend on SEND is projected to be higher than the entire cost of the Ministry of Justice by 2029. The crisis manifests itself through legal challenges and Philip stands at the centre of developing case law that will govern how schools support vulnerable pupils for years to come. 

He personally led A Multi Academy Trust v RR [2024], a case that clarified the law on the reasonable adjustment duty and how it applies to schools. It has since become one of three key cases cited by the First-Tier Tribunal in its standard case management directions to all parties on every claim. 

In 2024/25, Browne Jacobson worked on more than 50 discrimination claims in the SEND First-Tier Tribunal and more than one-third of all Upper Tier disability discrimination cases in schools over the past two years. Philip is a key member of the leadership group driving forward this work. 

Beyond his client work, Philip serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees for an eight-school academy trust in Birmingham serving some of the city's most deprived communities.  

He mentors sixth form students through the Social Mobility Foundation, directly supporting young people from non-privileged backgrounds to access opportunities and reflecting the values of Browne Jacobson’s, the number one employer in the Social Mobility Employer Index.  

Richard Medd, Managing Partner at Browne Jacobson, said: “Philip's award is thoroughly deserved, and we couldn’t be more proud. At Browne Jacobson, we strive to be at the forefront of society’s biggest issues and Philip’s work in tackling the SEND crisis sits squarely in that space. 

“He has led in groundbreaking litigation and advised clients that are under significant pressure with a level of dedication and skills that is exceptional for any stage of a legal career. What strikes me most about Philip is that alongside all of that, he gives back to his clients, the profession, and young people from all backgrounds who are trying to find their way in.  

“That is exactly the kind of lawyer and person we want to build careers around at this firm and demonstrates why we are so committed to nurturing our own talent from within.”