Education
Overview
The education sector is tasked with delivering the skills and innovation that underpin our economy. As organisations, your structures, size and priorities may be diverse, but your legal requirements have a common thread - the need for legal advice which is commercial, proactive and sector aware. Many face funding challenges for specific projects, wish to explore a more efficient use of their estate or want to develop and protect their brand. Our Education Team comprises lawyers with a track record in the sector with the ability to deliver the support you need on these and other legal issues.
Our approach
We are committed to the sector and have recruited lawyers specifically for their experience in advising HE and FE bodies as well as schools. We know that you need the comfort of speaking to those who appreciate your business. We deliver a partner-led personal service to our education clients. We spend time getting to know you, understanding how your organisation operates and how we can best support your objectives.
Our work and our clients
Our lawyers have advised universities, FE colleges, independent schools and maintained schools. We act for university colleges, the further education sector, an academy, schools and research-led organisations. We are a CPC framework panel member for the East and the South East regions. Members of our team act, or have acted, as governors of schools, board members of FE colleges and as a non-executive member of a university council.
We offer comprehensive advice to all our education clients including advice on:
- governance
- joint ventures
- academic and student accommodation
- PPPs
- procurement
- commercial contracts for a wide range of requirements
- funding and refinancing
- estate development and major construction projects
- employment issues
- disputes
- health and safety
- student issues (such as complaints, discipline, fitness to practise, appeals, risk management and policy and procedure reviews, crisis management and judicial reviews)
- charity and trust issues
- debt collection
- intellectual property protection and exploitation
- corporate spin outs
- corporate structures
- federations
- academies
- shared services
Media and training
Our lawyers write and commentate in local and national media including in the main sector publications and speak at sector events.
Additionally, we deliver general or bespoke training on a wide range of education issues and are happy to discuss your institution's individual needs.