AoC HR & Employment Law Conference & Exhibition 2026

Eversheds Sutherland is a leading legal adviser to the education sector, ranked Band 1 in both Legal 500 and Chambers. Our specialist education lawyers advise further education colleges on employment, HR and governance matters, combining deep sector knowledge with practical, commercially focused advice. We understand the challenges colleges face and help institutions manage risk, support their workforce and achieve their strategic objectives.

Website: https://www.eversheds-sutherland.com/en/united-kingdom

Faye oversees the development and delivery of our services and programmes and is responsible for their quality and impact. Prior to joining Education Support Faye's role was Head of Workplace Wellbeing Programmes at the mental health charity Mind, where she led on the development of Workplace Wellbeing programmes including the Mentally Healthy Universities Programme, the Our Frontline campaign and the Mental Health at Work website. Faye feels incredibly passionate about supporting better workplace mental health and making an impact across the education sector.

Dr Louise Karwowski is Founder and Lead Neuro-Inclusion Strategist at Bright Brains, helping colleges and organisations create neuroinclusive cultures where learners and staff can thrive. With over 20 years' experience across further and higher education, Louise works with senior leaders, educators and organisations to embed neuroinclusive practice through leadership, culture and organisational design. Combining a PhD-level STEM background with expertise in neuroinclusion, she translates research, policy and evidence into practical strategies that improve outcomes, strengthen belonging and remove barriers to success. Louise is known for helping organisations move from awareness to meaningful, sustainable change.

David Hughes became Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges in September 2016. Before that he was Chief Executive at Learning and Work Institute and spent over 10 years at the Learning and Skills Council and Skills Funding Agency where he had national responsibility for funding and improvement with colleges and providers. David holds several Board positions including with the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics and the Bell Foundation. He was Vice-Chair of the East Midlands Regional Assembly in the 1990s, founding Chair of the Education and Training Foundation in 2013 and has helped set-up several third sector organisations.

With over 15 years of experience in people services, Hayley Shaw is passionate about creating positive and inclusive people-first work cultures that support learning and growth. As the Director of People Services, she leads a team of professionals who deliver strategic and operational services across the College.

She is chair of the SW AoC HR Network, Director at Bristol Professional Services, and have a postgraduate degree in HR management. She is also passionate about mental health and her core competencies include leading change and innovation, developing talent and performance, promoting diversity and wellbeing, and building partnerships and collaboration across teams.
 

Ben Wood is a Partner in our Employment Labour and Pensions group who specialises in advising educational establishments on governance and employment matters.  Ben’s practice is focused on further education, sixth form and academy clients.  As a senior member of the education team Ben is regularly involved in providing training for governors and senior managers of educational institutions covering a wide range of topics including governance, equality and diversity, whistleblowing, performance management, industrial relations and restructuring.

Matthew Kelly is a Partner in our market leading education practice and specialises in advising further education colleges on all employment law and governance aspects. Matthew has over 25 years’ experience advising clients in the FE sector and deals with day to day queries facing colleges as well as complex employment tribunal litigation, dealing with sensitive discrimination and whistleblowing claims. In addition, Matthew regularly speaks at conferences and seminars focusing on key issues facing the sector.

Jo qualified as a solicitor in 1995 and advised individuals and organisations on all aspects of employment law. For the last 26 years she has worked as a dedicated practice development lawyer providing technical advice and support to colleagues and clients. She has a particular interest in the education sector, the legal issues around sex and gender, and holiday pay. Jo produces client-focused alerts and newsletters and has been recognised by Lexology as a legal influencer on 10 separate occasions. She regularly provides commentary to the media and has appeared on the BBC.
 

Alex qualified as a solicitor in 2018 and has practised employment law throughout her career. She supports clients and colleagues on a broad range of workplace issues, with a particular focus on the education sector. She helps employers navigate legislative change and emerging legal developments, providing practical advice on complex workforce challenges. Alex regularly delivers training for colleagues, employers and HR professionals and writes extensively on employment law topics. Lexology has recognised her as a Legal Influencer for her contributions to employment law thought leadership. 

Sam Perkins began his FE career as a lecturer before moving into teacher development and quality improvement. His role has since expanded to encompass professional development for all staff, alongside responsibility for recruitment and resourcing. He is now Group Head of Resourcing and People Development at East Kent Colleges Group and a member of the Group Leadership Team. Sam is passionate about developing innovative and inclusive approaches to recruitment, while creating internal development programmes that support staff growth and provide clear progression routes.

Kerry is the Chief People Officer at EKC Group, leading the organisation’s People Strategy and overseeing People Services, People Development, Resourcing and wider organisational development. As a member of the Group Leadership Board, Kerry shapes a culture centred on inclusion, capability and high performance. A CIPD member, Kerry has recently completed the Chartered Institute of FE Colleges programme, strengthening her sector expertise. Under her leadership, EKC Group was named Employer of the Year at the Kent Chamber Business Awards, recognising the Group’s commitment to staff experience, development and organisational excellence.