Susie is a legal director with a passion for working with schools and charitable bodies, in both the maintained and independent sector, and with both mainstream and special schools.
Traditionally seated in the corporate, commercial and charities team at VWV, Susie is a director of our consultancy subsidiary - Narrow Quay Consulting - and manages the ongoing relationship with our financial and operational consultants, offering a range of consultancy services to schools, including feasibility studies, efficiency reviews, strategy consultations and international admissions advice.
Susie also leads our VAT Taskforce - a multi-disciplinary team of lawyers, accountants and school advisors. The Taskforce was assembled to work with schools to provide bespoke and succinct tools to help finance teams through the implementation period and beyond. The removal of the VAT exemption on school fees is a big change, and we advise schools on managing the risks this brings, as well as the practical steps necessary to become and remain VAT compliant.
Susie has advised over 100 schools in relation to flexible fee paying arrangements in the last 2 years, with a focus on fees in advance schemes. She has also spoken at conferences, run workshops and webinars and presented directly to finance committees and boards at schools in relation to the VAT policy and its implications.
Outside of the independent sector, Susie leads on all corporate aspects of academies sector work, with a focus on academy conversions, mergers and re-brokerages. She also advises a range of clients regulatory issues, including consumer credit concerns.
Susie is based in our Bristol office but can support you nationally.
This is outstanding work… there is no way we could have developed this level of documentation without your expertise. … the detail you have provided on our own specific circumstances was comprehensive…I am delighted with this work. Many thanks for doing this for me.
What others say
"Susie, thank you for an incredible effort on Friday afternoon/evening. I aspire to be anywhere near as eloquent as you are! Your ability to cut through the situation as it arose late Friday was impressive. With great clarity of thought and an accurate assessment of the situation, some brilliant emails turned it around so that we have the conclusion we needed!"
"Thank you so much Susie, As ever you have been such a support."
"I just wanted to thank you for your invaluable support. The team meeting we had initially was so vital to us getting the right protections we wanted for the school. Thank you so much."
"I wanted to specifically comment on Susie's excellent work on what has been a complicated and time pressured matter."
What you might like to know
When not at work, Susie spends her time on the Bristol amateur dramatics circuit, singing and performing in plays and musicals. In 2025 Susie is part of the national Let the People Sing initiative, performing in Les Misérables on the Bristol Hippodrome stage in August 2025.
She is also a keen target rifle shot and has represented England and GB in international competitions in Canada, the USA, Australia and South Africa. Her next overseas competition is to the Channel Islands in May 2025.
Other teams Susie works with
In addition to the Corporate team, Susie also works across other teams to provide support, including our Charities, Tax, Regulatory and Compliance teams. She also works with our Real Estate and Commercials teams.
