Division of General Counsel, Governance and Compliance

Legal Counsel

The aim of the Office of the General Counsel (Legal Counsel) is to deliver at pace consistently excellent legal advice across a broad range of the University’s activities, ensuring value for money in the services that we provide.

We cover a wide range of topics including data protection, contract law, commercial law, consumer law, staff & student complaints, staff & student discipline, public law, visas & immigration, intellectual property, regulatory law and employment law, to name a handful.

Please see below for contact details and information about individual areas of expertise:

Emma Potts - Interim Deputy Chief Operating Officer 

e.potts@sussex.ac.uk

Geraldine Ismail - Interim Head of Legal Services

Areas of expertise: Public and private law litigation; EU exit-related matters; privacy, data protection, confidentiality; international relationships, collaborations, partnerships, and student mobility; student complaints, misconduct and admission decisions; defamation and libel; public law.

G.Ismail@sussex.ac.uk

+44 (0) 1273 873989

Nicola Enston - Senior Legal Counsel

Areas of expertise: Complaints and discipline; regulatory investigations and OfS matters; crime; health and safety; Freedom of Information; safeguarding, public law.

N.Enston@sussex.ac.uk

+44 (0) 1273 877858

Lucy-May Tarafder - Legal Counsel

Areas of expertise: Estates and property; CMA; employment matters; housing; online learning.

L.Tarafder@sussex.ac.uk

+44 (0) 1273 873988

Michele Balfe - Legal Counsel

Areas of expertise: HR and employment; trade union matters; UKVI; safeguarding; charity law.

M.Balfe@sussex.ac.uk

+44 (0) 1273 873871

Jennifer Oldfield - Legal Counsel

Areas of expertise: Property and estates; environmental and sustainability matters; contracts and procurement.

J.Oldfield@sussex.ac.uk

+44 (0) 1273 876945

Emily Rees - Legal Counsel 

er413@sussex.ac.uk

+44 (0) 1273 877808

Kit Buchanan-Lee - Trainee Solicitor 

k.buchanan-lee@sussex.ac.uk