SEND Tribunals · England and Wales
A life full of joy, purpose and endless possibilities.
That is what your child is entitled to, and it is what I have spent thirty years fighting for. Clear, honest advice on where you stand, what can realistically be achieved, and what to do next.
1980
Qualified solicitor since
30
years of SEN tribunal work
2021
The Times Lawyer of the Week
SRA
Regulated — no. 117964
Melinda Nettleton with her husband, specialist Barrister John Friel.
I have been where you are
I know first hand how confusing, hostile and exhausting the SEN system can feel when all you are trying to do is get the right support for your child. I navigated it myself as a mother, fighting to secure special education for my own son. Everything I learned doing that, I have spent the last thirty years using to help other families.
I offer solutions to both parent carers and professionals. What I care about most is making sure children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities receive the education and support they are legally entitled to, and can live a life full of joy, purpose and endless possibilities.
I take on only a small number of cases a year, so that each one gets the attention it deserves.
How it works
1
A free 30 minute call
We talk it through. No charge, no obligation, no jargon. You tell me what is happening and I tell you honestly whether I can help.
2
A full case review
I read everything — the emails, the letters, the reports — and give you a clear written assessment. What your evidence proves, where it is weak, what can realistically be achieved, and what it is likely to cost.
3
You decide what happens next
There is no pressure to go further. If you want me to take the case on, appeals are quoted at a fixed fee so you know exactly where you stand.
Fixed fees, published up front
Most tribunal appeals are quoted at a single fixed price for the appeal itself, so there are no surprises. As we only take on select numbers of clients, no VAT is charged.
Fixed fee appeals — preparation and paperwork
Each fee covers drafting the Reasons for Appeal and Further Information, the accompanying paperwork, and advice on the Local Authority’s case.
| Free initial consultation | 30 minutes, no charge |
| Case review | £850 |
| Refusal to Assess appeal | £2,750 |
| Refusal to Issue an EHC appeal | £3,750 |
| Appeal against contents B, F and I, or EOTAS | £6,250 |
| Cease to Maintain appeal | £5,500 |
| Appeal to the Upper Tribunal | £4,500 |
| Annual Review | £2,000 |
| Disability Discrimination Claim | £7,000 |
Representation at a hearing is quoted separately
Not all appeals reach a hearing. Where one is needed, it is not included in the fixed fees above.
| Representation by Melinda at the final hearing | £2,000, no VAT |
As a solicitor, rather than an unregulated paralegal, Melinda can also instruct experienced specialist Counsel — a barrister — to represent you at the hearing instead. She will set out the options and the costs so you can choose.
One size does not fit all
Not every case fits neatly into a package. Judicial review, negligence claims and one-off specialist advice fall outside the fixed fees. For these, Melinda provides advice and consultations, drafts letters and correspondence, and sets out a strategy at £300 per hour, always with an estimate given in advance.
Case reviews of bundles over 500 pages are £1,000. Fixed fees cover Melinda’s own work only, and do not include independent experts’ fees, travel or accommodation, any costs awarded against you in exceptional circumstances, or work after the Tribunal process has concluded. Each appeal is treated as a separate service with its own fee.
Special Needs and Legal Entitlement
The Essential Guide to Getting Out of the Maze
John and I wrote this book because we know the SEN system too often feels like a battleground instead of a support system. Parents and professionals still use it today.
It is currently out of print. With the SEN system in a state of flux, we are waiting for clear answers from government before publishing a fresh edition — you deserve accurate facts as your shield and guide.
