Following last week’s announcement of Laura Knight as the first member of the Teachmate Advisory Group (TAG), we are incredibly excited to introduce our second member: Claire Archibald, Legal Director and Data Protection Lawyer at Browne Jacobson LLP.
The Teachmate Advisory Group was established to bring together leading figures across education, strategy, technology and governance. Meeting three times a year, the group will act as our trusted advisors, challenging and guiding us as we develop AI solutions that improve learning, reduce workload and uphold the highest standards of safety, transparency and compliance.
If you missed our first post, you can read more about Laura Knight’s appointment here.
About Claire Archibald
Claire Archibald is a solicitor specialising in data protection, information law, AI governance and education. As Legal Director at Browne Jacobson LLP, she advises across the UK education and services-to-education sectors, helping schools and organisations navigate the complex landscape of compliance and governance.
Her legal expertise is strengthened by her hands-on experience as both a School Business Manager and a Data Protection Officer (DPO). This unique background gives Claire a deep understanding of the operational, legal and ethical challenges schools face when adopting new technologies.
Claire is also recognised as a leading voice on AI governance in education, championing strategies that enable schools to develop effective and sustainable governance and compliance programmes. In November 2024 she was awarded Champion of the Year at the Picasso Europe Awards for her work highlighting the importance of data protection in the education sector.
In Claire’s Words:
“I am delighted to be appointed to the Teachmate AI advisory panel. From the moment I met with the team, I was impressed with their genuine passion for the service they provide to teachers and schools. What particularly impressed me was their commitment to developing simple-to-use tools that ensure people’s data is treated exactly as you would want your own data to be treated, with the utmost care and respect.
I was proud to help Teachmate put together the information that schools needed to carry out Data Protection Impact Assessments and due diligence checks. I understood their commitment to compliance with data protection principles and so I felt confident in supporting their mission to provide secure, reliable AI solutions for education.
I am now looking forward to developing our relationship further and continuing to support Teachmate as they help educators across the UK reduce their workload whilst maintaining the highest standards of data protection and privacy.”
Claire’s Role in the Advisory Group
Claire’s role as Legal Director at Browne Jacobson LLP makes her an invaluable addition to the Teachmate Advisory Group. Her expertise in data protection and AI governance ensures that Teachmate remains at the forefront of safe, transparent and compliant AI design. Claire has already played a key role in supporting schools to carry out due diligence checks and Data Protection Impact Assessments with confidence, and her ongoing input into Teachmate’s future will help us continue to deliver tools that teachers can trust.
We are proud to welcome Claire Archibald to the Teachmate Advisory Group. Together with Laura Knight and the other members yet to be introduced, Claire will help guide our work and ensure we continue to balance innovation with the highest standards of legal and ethical responsibility.