- 22 years qualified
- Active on LinkedIn
Joanne Davison
Partner and head of sport, education & charities
Jenny Coull is Joanne's PA
About Joanne
Joanne heads up our sport, education and charities group. A governance, charity and education specialist, Joanne is regarded as an expert in her field. Her proactive, knowledgeable and friendly approach has led her to be a trusted adviser for many of the firm’s education clients.
Her clients include maintained schools, academy trusts, Further and Higher Education establishments, charities and social enterprises.
“Joanne Davison is the consummate professional. Joanne’s warmth of personality, tied to her passion to provide excellence, makes her a superb fit in the education sector.”
"What sets them apart from competitors is the time and effort they invest in building strong, collaborative relationships, alongside their ability to provide clear, pragmatic advice tailored to often complex circumstances. In particular, Joanne Davison has been exceptional. Having worked with us since the very beginning of the Trust’s inception, Joanne has taken the time to fully understand our complex provision and the challenges we face. This depth of understanding, combined with responsiveness and sound judgment, has been invaluable. Joanne’s ability to anticipate issues, provide practical solutions, and maintain a supportive, partnership-based approach has made a significant difference to our experience."
Charities & Not-for-Profits
As well as being an experienced charity lawyer, Joanne acts as a trustee for two local charities, giving her invaluable practical and strategic insight into how such organisations operate.
Joanne has a strong understanding of the issues that charities face and provides support on due diligence, negotiating transfer documentation, and advising as to process and dealing with complex governance issues. She also provides advice to a range of organisations on corporate restructuring and achieving charitable status.
Joanne regularly provides bespoke training on governance issues, as well as the implications of the Charities Act 2011 and the Companies Act 2006.
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Muckle’s specialist expertise is reflected in the team’s client roster, which includes advising education sector clients on charity law and governance matters. Joanne Davison advised Auckland Castle Trust on various trading, governance, and property issues in order to preserve the castle as a visitor attraction.
Education
Joanne leads an education team that has been consistently ranked Tier 1 by Legal 500 UK. She has a wealth of experience in relation to governance and project work in the sector and leads on many of the academy conversion and transfer projects we do. Joanne’s proactive approach ensures that multi-party projects are effectively coordinated and delivered on time.
In addition to her project work, Joanne works closely with both leadership teams and boards to advise on delivering long-term strategic plans and has expertise in advising on restructuring and a range of governance and commercial issues. She provides straightforward advice to ensure that the long-term aims of organisations can be efficiently managed and achieved.
Joanne has worked with a range of schools including special schools, free schools, studio schools, UTCs, faith schools, Church schools and PRUs. She advises on issues ranging from creating multi-academy trusts; pre and post-conversion governance and commercial issues. In addition, Joanne leads the due diligence exercises undertaken by the team in the sector.
Joanne has much experience working with FE institutions and understands the context of the provision of FE as part of the broader education landscape. She advises on a range of governance, regulatory and commercial issues. Joanne has led on a number of merger projects in the sector and regularly advises on collaborative working models and funding issues.
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"Joanne Davison and Ryan Douglass have been outstanding to work with. They consistently demonstrate a high level of expertise, responsiveness, and professionalism, providing clear and practical advice throughout complex academy conversion and transfer projects. What sets them apart is their approachable and supportive manner, combined with a strong understanding of the education sector and the challenges faced by academy trusts. Their willingness to go the extra mile, excellent communication, and ability to build trusted relationships have been particularly valued and distinguish them from many competitors."
Joanne Davison ably leads a team of professionals who are able to come up with innovative solutions when required and ensures the work allocated progresses quickly.’
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