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Emily Gent

Emily qualified as a solicitor in 2005, after training with Irwin Mitchell in clinical negligence and public law, with a focus on community care issues, and joined us in 2006. She became a Director of the firm in 2007 and specialises in education and access to health and social care services (particularly cases involving more than one of these areas of law). She also heads up the NHS continuing care health funding department for recovery of care home fees. She is consulted on an informal basis by various charities, schools, advice and advocacy agencies and delivers training on community care and education law.

She has worked with disabled people and their families throughout her career and has been employed by charities and local authorities. Emily decided to study law to better assist individuals get public services they are entitled to. Her specialist legal work relies on knowledge of education and community care, human rights and discrimination law.

Emily’s reported cases include:

O v Lewisham [ 2007] EWHC 2092 (Admin), a judicial review with wide reaching implications on the assessment of costs (including community care costs) to be taken into account by the special needs tribunal when considering school placements. This case has made a significant difference and is leading authority on this important issue.

Hampshire CC v R [2009] EWHC 262 (Admin) in which we defended the parent and cross-appealed. The judgment greatly improved the power of parents to obtain the special school of their choice and gave detailed guidance on how disputes should be decided by tribunal.

Emily obtains results for clients through negotiation as well as appeal, tribunal and court hearings and her work covers the following:

• Additional support for children with statements of special educational needs and schools preferred by parents
• Local and health authority responsibilities to assess needs and provide suitable services
• PCT continuing care health funding
• Educational provision for learning disabled young people post 16 and 19
• Admission and exclusion / disciplinary / fitness to practise decisions
• Children out of school
• Transport to school/ college and other education and community care related issues

In her spare time Emily likes to climb mountains and tour the UK in a campervan.

Quoted in Chambers and Partners 2012:

Education: Individuals, Emily Gent Sources agree that firm director Emily Gent works "quickly and accurately" on cases which involve significant levels of community care provisions.

Quoted in Chambers and Partners 2011:

Education: Individuals, Emily Gent has a growing reputation for her advice on SEN cases involving community care provision. She is said by sources to be "committed, sharp and technically accurate."

Contact : eg@mglaw.co.uk

To find out more about how we can help you, please contact Maxwell Gillott Solicitors.