National law firm Simpson Millar has appointed Polly Kerr as Head of Education and Children’s Rights, leading a series of new appointments across its Education and Childcare Law teams. Together, these hires reflect the firm’s strengthened commitment to supporting the welfare and needs of children, young people and families across the country.
Polly is a highly regarded solicitor and recognised leader in education and children’s rights law, with extensive experience in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), discrimination, school exclusions, safeguarding and judicial review.
She joins Simpson Millar to lead its Education Law practice, which supports children, young people, and families on a range of education and welfare matters, while also advising schools and academies on regulatory and statutory duties and compliance.
A trustee of SPACE, a charity supporting neurodivergent children, and of Neurodiversity in Law, which promotes inclusion within the legal profession, Polly was recently recognised as a Lead Associate in Public Law (Education) and Commercial Litigation in The Legal 500 2026.
Commenting on her appointment, Polly said: “Coming from a family of teachers, I’ve always been passionate about ensuring children’s rights are protected and that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential. This is an especially important time for families of children with SEND, who continue to face significant barriers in securing the support they are entitled to.
”I’m delighted to be joining Simpson Millar at such an exciting time of growth and collaboration across its specialist teams, and I look forward to helping families navigate the challenges they are facing and access the provision their children and young people need.”
Alongside Polly, Simpson Millar has further strengthened its Education Law team with the appointments of Kimberley Hircock as Solicitor in London, Cameron Dunleavy as Solicitor in Liverpool, and Kylie Dean, Jekaterina Bodnarchuk and Nathalie Podder as Paralegals in London.
To further strengthen the firm’s specialist Childcare practice — which provides expert representation and support to families involved in complex childcare proceedings — Jonathan Roberts has joined as Senior Associate Solicitor and Team Leader for Childcare Law, based in Liverpool. He is joined Paralegal by Elizabeth Henshall, who will also be based in the Liverpool office.
Liam Goggin, Partner and Head of the Public Law Division at Simpson Millar, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Polly and our new colleagues to the team. At a time when many families of children and young people with special educational needs are struggling to access the right support, it has never been more important for them to have specialist legal advice they can rely on.
“Polly’s leadership, combined with the expertise of Kimberley, Cameron, Kylie, Jekaterina and Nathalie will ensure we continue to deliver the highest standard of advice and advocacy to families and professionals navigating these complex and often challenging systems.
“Jonathan and Elizabeth’s appointment also comes at a time of increasing demand for childcare representation across the country. Families involved in childcare proceedings are often at their most vulnerable, and strengthening our team ensures we can offer timely, expert support to even more people who need it.”
Image provided by Simpson Millar
