Stephen Cole

Background

About Stephen Cole

After more than 23 years in Hewitsons’ Disputes & Litigation team dealing with commercial, regulatory and educational disputes, I focus on advising charities, schools, academies, colleges and other education clients in relation to their constitutional, governance, operational and commercial needs. This encompasses assistance in relation to charity mergers, academy conversions, school transfers, funding agreements, constitutional documents, policies, safeguarding, student proceedings, equality, parental complaints, commercial agreements, charity law issues and regulatory requirements. With my contentious background, I am well placed to advise charities and trustees who are faced with disputes whether within the charity or with other parties. I am experienced in dealing with proceedings in the Charity Tribunal. My regulatory practice includes advising on compliance with subsidy control requirements across a wide range of sectors in connection with assistance given to undertakings from public funds (such as grants, subsidies and tax concessions). I guide clients through the assessment of whether proposed assistance constitutes state aid, on availability of block exemptions, and on the means of obtaining approval for the aid or on structuring of projects so that any assistance does not constitute state aid. Member of UK State Aid Law Association.