Victoria Hatton

Vicky is a senior associate and has been practising education law since 2010. Her areas of expertise include academy projects, governance and student related matters. Vicky is ranked as a ‘Rising Star’ in Legal 500 for 2021.

Vicky supports schools and academy trusts on the corporate and governance aspects of all types of academy projects, including academy conversions, academy mergers and transfers and significant change applications. She also advises academy trusts on changes to their governance arrangements, including putting in place new Articles of Association and schemes of delegation. She has particular experience in supporting Church of England schools and academy trusts with diocesan requirements, having undertaken in-house secondments with two dioceses in the South West.

Vicky advises on a range of student related matters, especially those which are, or are likely to become, contentious including admissions, exclusions, special educational needs, discrimination claims, complaints and other parent issues.  She also advises on issues arising from regulatory intervention from Ofsted, local authorities, the ESFA and the Department for Education.

Vicky takes an active interest in education, having held several volunteer governorship roles in maintained and academy schools and in higher education. She is currently a Trustee of Askel Veur, the Diocese of Truro Umbrella Trust Company, and a member of a special multi academy trust.

Vicky is also a co-opted member of the Audit Committee at Plymouth Marjon University, working with internal and external auditors to review financial and risk management controls and ensuring compliance with OFS and other regulatory body requirements on behalf of the University’s Board of Governors.