As ‘exceptionally well regarded in the academy trust sector’ Browne Jacobson LLP’s education practice works with a significant number of schools and academies covering the full range of education issues, including safeguarding, data protection, challenges to Ofsted investigations, responses to industrial action, and handling parental complaints. The department is chaired by Birmingham-based Nick MacKenzie, noted for his focus on corporate and governance advice within the sector. Nottingham-based Mark Blois excels in handling various governance matters, while Charlotte Antoniou heads-up the London team. In Exeter, Julia Green is renowned for her expertise in academy conversions, while Birmingham-based Hayley O’Sullivan is noted for her experience in exclusion and equality issues. Manchester’s Dai Durbridge has vast experience in safeguarding and data protection issues.

Farrer & Co is renowned in the education sector, serving a diverse client base that includes independent schools and associations, providing advice on the full range of issues, particularly regarding innovative guidance on safeguarding. The department is well-regarded for its experience dealing with parents and pupils, governance and institutional issues, as well as sensitive issues such as sexual assault and commercial matters such as school mergers and school closures. Maria Strauss' practice spans employment, education and safeguarding while the hugely experienced Jonathan Eley advises on parent, pupil and employee matters and on crisis management together with disciplinary investigation. Key members of the team are safeguarding expert David Smellie , commercial contracts specialist Paul Jones, and charity law specialist Sam Macdonald . Katie Fudakowski is valued for her County Court, Employment and Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunals expertise and 'stand-out' Alice Yandle is noted for her broad employment and education expertise.

Highly regarded for representing various independent schools in a wide range of matters, including Teachers’ Pension Scheme withdrawal, sensitive safeguarding issues and the issue of national strike action, Harrison Clark Rickerbys‘ education department is adept in transactions, trustee advice, data protection, employment and specialist education sector legal and regulatory counsel. Cheltenham-based Kristine Scott leads the practice, advising on a range of specialist education matters, in safeguarding, including sensitive dismissals, pupil exclusions and parental complaints. Rachel Parkin and Oliver Daniels are recognised for their expertise in employment law and teachers' strike guidance. Emma Swann assists maintained schools, academies, independent schools and colleges on a wide range of issues, while real estate specialist Morgan West is a key figure for land transactions and academy conversions. Senior associate Paul Watkins is noted for his data protection work.

Stone King LLP provides top-tier advice on all education-related matters to its diverse clients of state schools, faith schools, multi-academy trusts, and independent schools. The department consists of education specialists who assist in pupil-related issues, strategic school mergers, development and governance, and academy set up and transfer work, which is covered by Laura Berman and Graham Burns who are well supported by Nicola Andrews. Additionally, the team is active in property and construction and employment, which is an area of expertise for Harriet Broughton. The firm’s faith school practice is developed by Lee Coley. Roger Inman, who sits as a judge in the SEN Tribunal; Jean Boyle and Tom Morrison are joint heads of the education sector group and Stephen Ravenscroft is key for mergers and academy conversions.

VWV‘s Bristol-led education team is recognised for ‘the strength, breadth and depth that provides total confidence’, advising schools in the independent and state-funded sectors in a variety of matters, including advice on future regulations, inquiries, governance, employment, and on the establishment of new trusts, school mergers and acquisitions, school conversions, as well as in judicial reviews, and in cases such as sexual assault allegations. The group is jointly headed by Barney Northover, who leads the advice on independent schools and Chloe Brunton, who heads the academies and maintained schools work. With a background in litigation, Tabitha Cave is the key advisor on regulatory compliance, while Alice Reeve covers safeguarding issues and provides employment advice during industrial actions. Other key members of the team are property experts Robin Rajanah and Jon Durham , employment specialist Richard Hewitt, and Sian Champkin and James Garside.

Doyle Clayton Solicitors advises clients on all issues that schools may face, including schools mergers, restructures, in employment issues, safeguarding issues, SEN, as well as parental complaints, admissions and exclusions, data protection issues and student sponsor licences. The practice is spearheaded by Simon Henthorn, who is considered excellent 'with any staffing issues’ that arise. Amara Ahmad is the team’s key advisor for special educational needs and safeguarding matters. Rose Smith's broad education and employment practice includes work on investigations, disciplinaries and grievance processes, as well as regulatory and safeguarding issues. Anna Blackden is experienced in the full spectrum of immigration matters, particularly in securing UK immigration status.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP is known for school project work, governance and regulatory work and has a dedicated student team. It advises on reputation management, privacy and information law and HR matters such as the Teachers’ Pensions Schemes. The group is jointly led by Diane Gilhooley who shares her time between London and Manchester and Ben Wood, who shares his time between London and Leeds. Nicola Bennison advises on complex safeguarding and admission issues, Charlotte Tanikal ‘s real estate practice covers academy conversions and registration of unregistered land, while Alison Oldfield handles a variety of contentious and risk management issues and disputes. Corporate lawyers Nathan Lucas and principal associate Thomas Pollitt, and senior associate Laura O’Brien of the employment team are key team members.

 

Moore Barlow is adept at handling complex strategic work, advising independent schools and sector associations on a vast range of issues, such as inspections, data subject access requests, employment matters, exclusions, parental complaints, and safeguarding. The schools team, led by Joanna Lada-Walicki, assists in school acquisitions and mergers, strategic policy and statue reviews while Gordon Reid assists in all aspects of charity law as well as school mergers. Ben Collingwood is key for his expertise in matters concerning students with special educational needs. Adam McRae-Taylor and Olivia Stanton cover Teachers’ Pension Schemes (TPS) work, while Paul Ridout has a particular focus on faith schools.

With particular expertise advising foundation bodies, such as religious dioceses and historic school foundations, Winckworth Sherwood LLP supports various clients including both religious and non-religious MAT establishments in education matters, HR and employment, property and capital projects, as well as academy conversions. The practice is led by Andrea Squires who has a strong track record in academy conversions and advises on religious matters in schools. Theresa Kerr covers parental issues, in particular relating to religious freedom, as well as safeguarding and exclusion. Employment expert Aida Smajlovic is experienced in employment tribunal claims, especially in reputation-sensitive matters. The education-related employment work is well supported by Harry Brown.

Assisting independent schools and multi-academy trusts, Bates Wells’ education department offers a range of services such as restructuring, school mergers, closures and acquisitions, as well as SEND and Edtech. Jean Tsang, who was promoted to partner in April 2024, heads the department and is experienced in a range of education matters such as merger and acquisitions, establishment and restructuring of schools, as well as charity and governance issues. Real estate specialist Mark Traynor supports education sector clients, including academy trusts, free schools and further education colleges with property issues. Matthew Smith’s practice covers public and regulatory law, working on matters such as advising a school’s inspectorate on policy, and equalities and discrimination issues, data protection and Freedom of Information requests and challenges.

BDB Pitmans‘ education practice is proficient in charity and governance issues, supporting a range of clients that includes numerous independent schools and umbrella organisations. The team is engaged in regulatory compliance advice and counsel on regulation and governance issues, commercial advice, employment and real estate matters. The practice is headed by Penny Chapman, the key contact for governance advice, also assisting schools in setting up educational charities. Jonathan Fewster's practice covers commercial real estate, including sale and leasebacks for school clients. Nicholas Le Riche handles employment and HR matters, such as internal restructures, TPS and employment contracts.

Lee Bolton Monier-Williams is renowned for its expertise in advising a wide array of schools and a majority of the Dioceses in England and Wales. Its expertise includes school property transactions, such as complex site transfers, and on charity law issues, particularly concerning the creation of new educational charities. Team leader Howard Dellar represents charities and multi academy trusts and has a strong track record on academy conversions. Ian Blaney specialises in the intersection of charity, education and church law and works on projects for Diocesan Boards of Education; Khalid Sofi is expert in advising charities and not-for-profit organisations linked with Muslim communities; and Nishita Gudka is adept at handling commercial, education and charity property matters.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP‘s team of independent school experts is highly regarded for its assistance on employment, safeguarding, and governance matters. Additionally, the team covers matters such as employee compensation, pension issues, and sensitive matters involving students, their parents and staff, including investigation into allegations of sex discrimination. ‘Discrimination law specialist’ Gemma Woodhouse leads the practice from Reading and is noted for her expertise in special educational needs, discrimination and employment issues. Hazar El-Chamaa is the key advisor in immigration matters. ‘Exceptional’ Katie Glendinning is experienced in advising independent schools in an array of employment issues. Victoria Spires covers a range of contentious and non-contentious employment law.

Advising multi academy trusts and organisations such as the Department for Education on significant school conversion projects, Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP is experienced in a range of education related matters such as safeguarding, establishment of a charities, and employment. The firm is well regarded for managing the property aspects of academy conversions, restructuring initiatives, free school establishments and PFI contracts. The Newcastle-based team is jointly headed by Kevin Robertson whose emphasis is on academy conversions and school transfers, and Emma Moody who is an expert in school governance. Managing associate Nick Moss handles complex transfers and PFI conversions, while Peter Cantwell focuses on school property work.

Known for advising on schools building projects across England and Wales, Bevan Brittan LLP’s education practice handles the acquisition and development of sites for new schools across the country and assists local authorities on the impact of schools converting to academy status. Team head Andrew Tobin is especially known for advising central and local government on refurbishment and construction projects.

Blake Morgan LLP’s education practice offers charity, employment and governance advice, including misconduct, exclusions, reorganisations, and school conversions, school expansion, as well as data protection. Matthew Smith leads the department and has extensive experience in employment tribunal cases. Joanna Rees leads the Cardiff-based construction team, advising on new secondary schools in Cardiff. Legal director Trish D’Souza assists schools with a range of issues, such as special educational needs and student admission issues, while legal director Ben Brice heads the department’s charity work in the education sector.

Acting for local councils on PFI academy conversion projects and handling major school construction projects, Sharpe Pritchard LLP‘s education infrastructure department offers a range of services. Procurement and strategic public private partnerships specialist Tim Farr assists with ICT outsourcing contracts in the education sector and leads the department. Construction expert Justin Mendelle handles contentious and non-contentious education construction matters. Commercial lawyer Catherine Newman is experienced in a range of education and academy projects; Julie Bann covers a variety of employment work and Raechel Slattery is adept in commercial and procurement law.

Shoosmiths LLP’s education practice focuses on investments into schools, including private equity investment, and advising on property portfolios of education clients. The practice is well-regarded in the educational technology sector, supporting schools and the wider education sector. The practice is jointly headed by Amit Nayyar in London, Sean Wright in Solent and Daniel Shilvock in Birmingham, who leads the corporate aspects of the education practice. Real estate specialist Mehar Patel advises clients on a range of matters, such as acquisition, disposal and development of school sites, real estate financing and management of client’s property portfolios.

With expertise in real estate transactions in the education sector, Trowers & Hamlins LLP’s education department also handles school acquisitions, governance, contracts, procurement, as well as employment and pensions matters. Its work also covers charities and taxation and it advises on the powers and policies of local authorities concerning the provision for SEND. The group is jointly headed by Assad Maqbool in London and Amardeep Gill in Birmingham. While Gill advises on commercial aspects of transactions and on academy and free school initiatives, Patrick Morris is adept in investment, development and regeneration in the education sector.

Embedded in the firm’s charity department led by Chris Priestley , Withers LLP‘s education practice provides charity law and crisis management advice to educational trusts, charities, and foundations on various strategic and governance matters. The education group, which is led by charity law expert Philip Reed, covers contentious employment and student issues and acts in school disciplinary proceedings and investigations. Natalie Sherborn advises schools on highly sensitive internal investigations. Alison Paines and Emma Flower, who regularly act for independent schools are key members.