Joe Orme-Paul

Practice Areas

Education is a sector focused practice covering a variety of legal needs for schools, colleges and universities. We receive a wide variety of instructions including SEND Tribunals, regulatory, academy transactions, governance, data protection and FOIA.

Career

Started my legal career in June 2010 in a personal injury practice (now Bond Turner) as a paralegal. Moved to Hill Dickinson in March 2012 as a paralegal in the Professional Risks department. Commenced my training contract September 2015 and qualified into Education in March 2017.

Promoted to Partner July 2024.

Professional Memberships

Law Society of England and Wales

Formerly served as Vice-Chair of Trustees of a single academy trust

Formerly served as a Governor of a Welsh community maintained school

Publications

Lyons, A., Thomas, G., Octigan, S., & Orme-Paul, J. (2024). Developing best practice guidance for educational psychologists gaining consent across the 0-25 age range. Educational Psychology in Practice, 1–19

Joe Orme-Paul, The High Court on school exclusions, Local Government Lawyer, 4 October 2024

Personal

Grew up in Anfield, Liverpool and attended the local community comprehensive.

First family member to go to university.

Relocated to North Wales from Liverpool in 2020.

Clients

Star Academies

Dixons Academies Trust

Cranmer Education Trust

Bright Futures Education Trust

Endeavour Learning Trust

North Star Community Trust

Pope Francis Multi Academy Trust

All Saints Multi Academy Trust

Archdiocese of Liverpool

Methodist Academies and Schools Trust

Work Highlights

Preparing joint Catholic and Anglican articles for an academy trust

Preparing and supporting on the creation of articles to be used in a Methodist majority and minority academy trust

Successfully defending an independent school from forced closure by the Secretary of State on appeal to the first tier tribunal

Supporting the growth of All Saints Multi Academy Trust from three schools to thirteen over an 18 month period

Appearing before an IRP to secure the upholding of a

Successfully representing an academy trust before the School’s Adjudicator in a complex objection brought on faith places by a member of the faith’s clergy contrary to the views of the Diocese.

Industry Sector Expertise

Working primarily with schools (state and independent) and academy trust on various non-employment matters.

Expert in these Jurisdictions

England and Wales

Experience

I have a broad practice in education built up over the last 8 years with national spread. I have particular expertise in SEND, exclusions, admissions and data protection.

Awards

Education