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Susan joined Weightmans in 2015 from a Chartered University where she was Director of Legal and Secretariat (2008 – 2015). As the manager of an in-house legal, student complaints, academic appeals and breaches and information governance teams, Susan was directly responsible for managing and advising on strategic legal, regulatory and compliance risk.

Susan currently works with Higher Education institutions to provide legal advice and pragmatic support to University clients on student and staff related legal matters.

Susan’s credentials in HE legal practice include:

  • A track record in building collegiate relationships with University central services and in working directly with academic colleagues on legal issues;
  • Wide experience of delivering collaborative projects on a range of University issues.
  • Practical and proportionate adviser on solutions and approaches to legal issues that impact on HE services, organisational performance, external contractual relationships, research projects and University partnerships that have led to or may lead to legal dispute.
  • Developing innovative proposals to support University colleagues to address legal challenges: e.g. legal processes for in-house teams; legal risk assessment; template documents, legal process review, developing and delivering bespoke training.
  • Susan specialises in supporting HE managers on the implementation of solutions in response to legal issues and acting as an addition to the HEI’s team.
  • Susan is the third member of the Weightmans HE team to be recruited from an in-house position.

Services:

  • Susan is very responsive and supportive on staff and student matters. She is very approachable and very client friendly to work with.

    Chambers and Partners 2023

  • Susan Matthews and Josh Conroy, in particular, are very approachable, responsive and helpful.

    Legal 500 2024