Partnerships in Bristol Law School

For today's graduates it is essential to possess inter-cultural competencies and the ability to work across cultures and societies. Bristol Law School provides a diverse and inclusive learning environment that enables all of our students to learn with, and from, those from different backgrounds and cultures.

We work with a range of international partners to provide opportunities for their students to study with us in Bristol and/or for UK-based students to study abroad. We are also proud of the work that we do with strategic international partners to promote high quality education in a range of countries.

Key strategic international partners we work include:

• Bhuiyan Academy, Bangladesh
• Bristol Institute of Business Management, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• British School of Law, Bangladesh
• Cambridge Business and Law Academy, Bangladesh
• Foreign Trade University, Hanoi, Vietnam
• Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam
• HELP University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• INTI International University, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
• London College of Legal Studies South, Bangladesh
• London College of Legal Studies North, Bangladesh
• Newcastle Law Academy, Bangladesh
• University of Alabama, USA
• University of Freiburg, Germany
• University of Münster, Germany
• University of Padua, Italy 
• Vesalius College, Brussels, Belgium
• Villa College, The Maldives

The Law profession's education and training is regulated by a number of bodies and as a result we have close working relationships with the following:

• Solicitors Regulation Authority – is the independent regulatory body of the Law Society in England and Wales.
• Bar Standards Board – responsible for regulating barristers called to the bar in England and Wales and the education and training requirements for becoming a barrister.

We have strong links with a wide range of organisations including:

• Bristol Law Society – work together on a student placement scheme for trainee solicitors at local law firms.
• ADR Group – we work in collaboration with the ADR Group through the pro bono unit to provide opportunity for resolution of problems by mediation.
• Chambers, who sponsor our mooting/advocacy competitions.

Ann Isaacs

Partner, DAC Beacroft Claims Ltd

Ann advises on high-value property claims, specialising in agricultural, highways and product liability claims. She provides advice, recovery and defence services to insurance companies, corporate organisations and individuals. She has over 20 years’ experience advising clients across a range of sectors including agriculture, construction, manufacturing, retail and leisure, transport and logistics.

Ann leads the Property Agricultural Claims Team, who deal with a diverse range of recovery and liability claims for the farming industry, and leads the Property Highways’ Claims Team who defend ‘green’ highway chattels’ claims on behalf of insurers and their policyholders. Ann has also sat as a Magistrate in South Wales.

Ben Holt

Partner, Dispute Resolution Lawyer, VWV LLP; President, Bristol Law Society 
Social: LinkedIn

Ben specialises in advising on complex disputes for businesses and institutions. He has particular expertise in relation to claims arising from mergers and acquisitions, information law, reputation management, supply of goods and services (including procurement) and professional negligence. Ben also leads the firm's Information Law and Reputation Management teams. He is the also President of Bristol Law Society and a member of the Bristol Commercial Court Users Committee and the Association of Procurement Lawyers. 

Hannah Simmonite

Solicitor, TLT LLP

Hannah graduated from UWE Bristol in pursuit of a training contract whilst studying the Diploma in Legal Practice and working at Eversheds Sutherland International LLP, before qualifying in June 2018. Hannah’s route to qualification was unconventional, using her experience to qualify for a period of recognised training and becoming exempt from a training contact.

Hannah now works within a senior team at TLT LLP, advising renewable energy companies on their real estate matters. She has spent the last few years engaging with business development opportunities and progressing networking skills to drive business relations both inside and outside the firm.

Jonathan Grant

Head of Legal, Central Banking, Legal Directorate, Bank of England
Social: LinkedIn

As Head of Legal for Central Banking in the Bank of England’s Legal Directorate, Jonathan has a senior leadership role in the in-house legal function of a major UK public sector organisation. He leads a team of almost 40 lawyers providing advice to the operational and central service areas of the Bank. Jonathan provides strategic advice to the Governors: in meetings, written briefings and by attending Bank committees. Jonathan has advised on the Bank’s response to the global financial crisis, Brexit and, most recently, COVID-19.

One of the Bank’s strategic goals is to embrace fintech in order to deliver the Bank’s mission of maintaining monetary and financial stability. As part of that goal, Jonathan and his team have advised on the Bank’s work on central bank digital currencies and its multi-year programme to renew the UK’s Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) payments infrastructure.

As part of the Legal Directorate’s new strategic plan, Jonathan is leading an initiative to reflect talent across society by reaching out to schools, universities and those interested in joining the Legal Directorate, and in doing so enhance diversity and inclusion, both now and in the future. Jonathan has also partnered with leading academics and practitioners to run conferences on legal and policy issues relating to central banking.

Nick Lee

Managing Director, Paragon Costs Solutions
Social: LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter)

In 2011, Nick created Paragon Costs Solutions, which now has offices in London and Bristol. Clients have included many top 100 law firms, niche commercial practices, local authorities, insurers and international banks. Advocacy, technical support, business development and client management are his primary responsibilities.

He is known for always being commercial and practical, colleagues and clients appreciate how thoroughly Nick assesses the merits in any claims, before giving his experienced and realistic advice. Nick was President of Bristol Law Society (2018/19). He currently sits on Bristol City Council’s Economic advisory board, is an Enterprise Advisor through the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) and a Trustee for Quartet Community Foundation. In 2020 he launched Legal Costs Resolutions which offers mediation services. 

Raj Sharma

Chief UK Counsel, Coloplast Limited

Raj is Chief UK Counsel at a leading global medical devices and services company. Prior to joining Coloplast, Raj was General Counsel and Company Secretary at a FTSE-listed logistics group. Raj classes himself as a generalist commercial lawyer with a broad remit, appetite to problem-solve and a growth mindset.

Raj understands the importance of creating opportunities for aspiring and junior lawyers and places emphasis on supporting Black, Asian and minority ethnic lawyers, having previously established a work experience programme aimed at Black, Asian and minority ethnic students and through his previous membership of The Law Society’s Ethnic Minority Lawyers Division Committee. Raj has presented as a guest lecturer to our undergraduate students and is an advocate for the continued acclaim of what our Law School has to offer. Raj is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Young Enterprise UK.

Salma Maqsood

Team Leader and Associate Solicitor, Barcan+Kirby LLP; member, The Law Society Council
Social: LinkedIn 

Salma is a Senior Associate and Team Leader of the Commercial Property department at Barcan+Kirby Solicitors. She is a member of the Law Society’s Diversity and Inclusion forum for the South West and a Social Mobility Ambassador at the Law Society. Salma is also member of The Bristol Law Society Council and co-chairs Bristol Law Society’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She is passionate about encouraging and supporting future and existing lawyers from non-traditional backgrounds to achieve their ambitions within the profession.