Jake Barnard

Jake Barnard is an accomplished legal professional currently serving as Group General Counsel and Company Secretary at GEMS Education since February 2015. In this role, Barnard provides strategic legal and commercial guidance to key stakeholders within the world's largest provider of private K-12 education, overseeing legal counsel for over 130,000 students and 20,000 employees. Previous experience includes positions as Acting General Counsel, Senior Vice President, Senior Legal Counsel, and Legal Counsel at HPL Yamalova & Plewka JLT, where Barnard managed a legal practice and negotiated complex commercial projects. Earlier roles include a Post Law School Graduate Fellowship at the NYC Law Department, focusing on tax implications of transactions, and a Summer Associate position at Beard St. Clair Gaffney PA, where support was provided to multiple attorneys on commercial contracts and regulatory issues. Academic credentials include a Doctor of Law (J.D.) from Vanderbilt University Law School and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Economics from the University of Chicago.