
We’re great with education, and committed to making sure you have the time and funding to do the best for your students.
We provide practical solutions and the most efficient route of redress so you’re not left with the usual commercial 'arm and a leg' costs! We’re also great at cutting out excess LA paperwork. We start from the proposition that teachers are best doing what they are trained to do. We sort out the legal minimum and give you more time to do just that.
Whilst proud of our reputation for robust representation for our clients, SEN Legal’s main value is that every child/young person has a right to an education and the provision of therapeutic and/or social services input irrespective of means.
We believe that every child/young person has a right to an education and the provision of therapeutic and/or social services input, irrespective of means.
- Melinda Nettleton, SEN Legal Founder

Core Company Values:
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Excellent ServiceWhilst we are extremely proud to maintain a consistent success rate of over 90% for the last decade, what we really strive for is the delivery of an excellent overall service to all of our clients. We understand that instructing a legal representative can be a stressful and worrying process. SEN Legal work to take this stress away, allowing you to concentrate your time and effort on what is most important to you - managing your organisation, your team and your students. You can read our rankings in the Legal 500 here: https://www.legal500.com/c/east-anglia/public-sector/education
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ReliabilityOur team work relentlessly to ensure that no stone is left unturned in our pursuit of the best possible outcomes for your organisation. Our experience and attention to detail mean that we continually strive to get the best possible outcome for you, and will ensure you are informed every step of the way. We have also established good working relationships with a complete network of trusted experts from the world of education and SEND. Whatever you may need, we are able to help you.
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Genuine PassionUnlike most other law firms, SEN Legal has practiced exclusively in education and disability since our very beginning (over 20 years ago!). We have a genuine passion for what we do and many of our employees have first-hand experience of raising children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. We only represent Families and Education providers, meaning we never act on behalf of Local Authorities. We also take our pro-bono duties very seriously and travel nationally to attend and deliver events which provide free advice and guidance to schools, charities and families in need of help who might not otherwise access it. Our passion for this area of law, along with our constant drive to do the very best for our clients has gained us a reputation as one of the country's most successful specialist law practices.
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HonestyAs a registered legal practice, we are Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (Ref: 385837). Being regulated by the SRA means we are bound by the high standards of integrity and honesty as detailed in the Solicitors Code of Conduct. Our team will always offer complete honest and transparent advice in every situation even where difficult discussions need to be had. If we believe that your organisation would best benefit from another service or that the chance of winning your case is slim, we will ensure to advise you of this straight away so that you can make a well-informed decision as to how we continue.
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Value for MoneyWe understand that in these challenging financial times, education providers are being forced to stretch their budgets further than ever before. That's why unlike other law firms, we do not charge fixed fees for the services we provide. Instead, we offer affordable hourly rates, only charging for the work you actually need. Before acting on your behalf, we take the time to understand your exact requirements and can advise you on an approximate quote for our legal services. We also offer a free 15 minute consultation with one of our expert Solicitors who will always be happy to go through the potential options with you and ensure we can help before taking on your case. We also publish a free quarterly newsletter which goes out to over 750 experts, professionals and schools. We have a separate newsletter exclusively for parents. Each newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of topics, updates and case law which our Solicitors’ believe provide the most tangible, tactical and helpful advice to those who receive it. To find out more or subscribe for our updates, click here.
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ApproachabilityThough the law can be an intimidating subject, our team aims to reassure you with an approachable and friendly service. As strong advocates for parental rights, we also travel up and down the country attending many events to give free advice and guidance to schools and families in need of legal help. We are really passionate about this area, and love to interact and hear the stories of everybody we meet along the way.
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SimplicityThe legal framework surrounding education and special educational needs and disabilities can be extremely complex and difficult to understand. We make every effort to ensure our correspondence with you cuts out unnecessary 'legal jargon', in an easy to understand format and offers a much clearer insight into your legal position and the options available to you. Our team of expert Solicitors can also act purely as advisors if you are struggling to make sense of an area of law. Whatever your needs - we are always happy to help.
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Continious LearningInspired by our genuine interest in education and special educational needs and disability, we are committed to professional development and continuous learning. We hold internal training courses at our offices in Bury St Edmunds once a month, inviting leading professionals from the world of education and SEND to talk to us and offer valuable insight into their personal field of expertise. These training sessions further our understanding in a number of different areas and allow us to take a more holistic view of your problem at hand. We believe professional development is extremely important in being able to then offer you the best possible advice and the most practical solutions possible.