Legal and Training

Wendy Rainbow, Legal Team Manager

Wendy is a solicitor and manages IPSEA’s legal team. The legal team trains IPSEA's volunteers as well as supervising and assisting them with legal queries, case work support and tribunal advice. The team also delivers training to parent and carer groups and other organisations helping their members understand their legal rights under the SEND statutory framework, as well as bespoke training courses for other professionals in the SEND field advising them on their legal obligations to children and young people. Working with IPSEA's policy manager, the legal team seeks to influence national policy and legal developments in SEND law as well as effecting change within individual local authorities.

Alex Stafford, Senior Solicitor

Kate Cox, Senior Solicitor

As a member of the legal team, Kate provides legal support to volunteers and supervises their helpline and Tribunal Support Service work. She also writes monthly updates for the volunteers, ensuring they are kept up to date with legal and policy changes. She helps maintain IPSEA’s legal resources and briefings, and provides training to parents and carers as well as professionals. Kate also supports the policy team in their work. In her spare time, Kate loves to have her nose in a new book, getting outside and exercising, and playing with her two sons.

Lisa Coaten, Legal Team Member

As a member of the legal team, Lisa works with volunteers training them, providing legal support and supervising their work on the helplines and Tribunal Support Service. She also delivers training to parents, carers and professionals, and helps the team to keep IPSEA’s legal resources up to date. Outside of work, Lisa enjoys going to the theatre, planning family holidays and is currently studying for her Masters.

Maria Bloom, Legal Team Member

Maria has worked for organisations providing legally based advice and information about special educational needs since 1997. As part of IPSEA's legal team Maria works with IPSEA's volunteers delivering training to them whether they are new or existing. She also provides them with legal support and is responsible for monitoring and supervising their work and assisting them by providing legal updates. Maria also delivers IPSEA's programme of external training to parents, SEN experts, schools and local authorities as well as creating legally based written resources. Maria is Vice Chair of Governors at a local authority maintained Primary school where, not surprisingly, she takes the lead on SEN issues.

Liz Devlin, Legal Team Member

Liz is a member of IPSEA’s Legal Team. She provides legal support to new and existing volunteers and supervises and monitors the advice provided on IPSEA’s helplines. She also delivers SEND Law training to parents, carers and professionals across the country. As part of IPSEA’s Policy Team, Liz gets involved in both local and national policy work and contributes to creating content which is shared on our social media platforms. Liz’s role includes reviewing and updating the IPSEA website to ensure information is kept current and she enjoys creating new website resources for parents and young people to use, such as template letters Outside of work, Liz advocates and cares for her son, who is Autistic and has special educational needs. Liz enjoys spinning, walking, cycling and spending quality time with family.

Lauren Crowson, Solicitor Apprentice

As a member of the legal team, Lauren provides legal advice, casework support, and representation to parents, young people and carers on IPSEA’s helplines and before the First Tier Tribunal. Lauren researches and updates content for IPSEA’s website, e-learning and training legal resources. Lauren recently graduated with a first class law degree. She is currently studying with BPP University in preparation for the SQE. Outside of work, Lauren enjoys spending time with her young children, family outings, skiing holidays and reading.

Mitra Babic, Legal Team Member

Mitra is a non-practising solicitor and member of IPSEA's Legal Team, and provides legal support to volunteers, delivers training to parents and carers and helps to maintain IPSEA’s legal resources and briefings.  Mitra began as a volunteer at IPSEA and before joining the Legal Team, she worked for 2 years as an IPSEA Helplines Adviser providing next step advice to parents and carers. In her free time, Mitra enjoys spending time with her family, long walks in nature and listening to music.

Megan Day, Solicitor Apprentice

Megan is one of two solicitor apprentices in the legal team at IPSEA. Her role involves providing legal advice and casework support to parents, carers and young people on the IPSEA helplines and before the First Tier Tribunal. Megan is a recent graduate from the University of Hull after completing her Law degree and a Master's degree in Criminal Justice and Crime Control. She is currently studying with BPP in preparation for her Solicitor’s Qualifying Exam. When not working Megan enjoys holidaying abroad, reading thriller novels, live music and spending time with friends and family.

Laurie Ali Moxham, Training and Policy Officer

Laurie is a training coordinator for IPSEA, ensuring anyone who wants to sign up for a training day finds what they’re looking for and has a great experience. With a background in educational policy and campaigning, they also assist the Policy Team in research and administration. Their interest in policy and the law started while studying art history, where they specialised in art as a means of protest. Laurie has experience working with children with SEND and lives with a physical disability. In their spare time, they enjoy computer gaming, playing DnD and reading historical fiction.

Catherine Thomasson, Training Team Supervisor

Catherine is a Learning & Development professional with 12 years of experience designing and delivering impactful training programs for a Health & Social Care charity. At IPSEA, she works closely with Laurie to coordinate both face-to-face and online training, supporting the organization’s mission to provide high-quality SEND Law education. With a focus on enhancing the learner experience, Catherine combines her expertise in training management with a strategic approach to drive meaningful outcomes. Outside of work, she enjoys running, pilates, yoga, and is an active member of a local book club