Expertise/experience
Karen Stephenson has senior management experience within HE, having been University Secretary & Clerk to the Board of Governors at London South Bank University (“LSBU”) since 2001.
She was also the Principal Solicitor during that time. Karen’s experience also includes 7 years as Senior Lecturer and Course Director at LSBU giving her a sense of the whole range of responsibilities faced by academic staff on a day to day basis.
The role of University Secretary at LSBU incorporated governance, university management and board matters as well as having overall responsibility for the legal portfolio.
Karen has recently been awarded a Chair by London South Bank University. The award enables Karen to carry the formal title of Professor Stephenson. Karen has published, has expertise in Higher Education (HE) governance and has worked at a senior level in HE management for many years.
Her team specialise in all areas of education law, advising universities on a broad range of matters. These include good governance and constitutional issues, estates issues, capital funding, intellectual property law, licensing, and spin-outs as well as commercial contracts and joint ventures, consortium arrangements (including international agreements) and procurement processes including EU regulations. The universities team also look after student issues including appeals, academic misconduct and dealing with the OIA. They have expertise in human resources including pensions and equality and diversity issues.
Karen works from the firm's London and Bristol offices.
