As part of Russell-Cooke's volunteering scheme, Legal Assistant Lucy Lu recently used a volunteering day to serve as a lay panel member on School Admissions Appeals Panels for the London Boroughs of Richmond and Wandsworth.
The scheme gives colleagues across the firm the opportunity to support local communities and charitable causes through volunteering and skills-based initiatives.
What is a school admissions appeal?
When a child is refused a place at their preferred school, parents and carers have a legal right to appeal the decision. Appeals are heard by an independent School Appeals Panel, made up of volunteers from a range of backgrounds, whose role is to ensure that each case is considered fairly and in accordance with admissions law.
Panel members review evidence from both the admissions authority and the family, hear their respective cases, and reach a binding decision based on the facts and the law. The independent and mixed composition of the panel is an important safeguard, helping to ensure that families are given a fair opportunity to be heard.
Volunteering as a panel member
I have been volunteering as a School Admissions Appeals Panel Member since 2025. During a recent appeals day, I heard three separate cases, each involving families seeking places at their preferred schools.
For every appeal, the panel considered evidence from both the admissions authority and the child's parents or carers before reaching a reasoned decision.
School admission appeals follow a structured legal framework, requiring panel members to consider whether the admission arrangements were lawful, correctly applied and, where relevant, to balance the impact on the child of not being admitted against the prejudice that admitting an additional pupil would cause to the school.
Promoting fair access to education
When I first became a panel member, I had no idea how closely the role related to the work of Russell-Cooke's education law team.
The team has extensive experience advising families on school admissions appeals, exclusion appeals and matters affecting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Discovering the connection between my volunteering role and the work carried out by colleagues across the firm gave me an even greater appreciation of how legal expertise can help open up educational opportunities and positively influence young people's futures.
My reflections on the day
Given Russell-Cooke's long-standing roots in south-west London, it was particularly rewarding to support the communities in which we live and work while gaining new perspectives and developing different skills.
I found the experience both rewarding and humbling. Hearing first-hand from families about the impact that school placement decisions can have on a child's future was a powerful reminder of the importance of education and the responsibility carried by those involved in the appeals process.
As legal professionals, we are accustomed to analysing evidence and applying legal principles to protect our clients' interests. Serving as a panel member allowed me to use those same skills in a very different context: not to advocate for a particular outcome, but to evaluate the evidence independently and reach a balanced, reasoned decision.
I would encourage anyone interested in volunteering to explore similar opportunities. Even a small commitment of time can make a meaningful difference to local communities and provide valuable personal and professional development in return.
About Lucy
Lucy Lu is a legal assistant in the restructuring and insolvency team. She works on a broad range of corporate and personal insolvency matters.
