Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP continues to excel at advising higher and further education clients on a wide range of regulatory and commercial matters, leveraging its national strength to maintain close relationships with universities and sector associations across the UK. The team is well-regarded for its expertise in contentious and non-contentious employment matters, having provided advice on major higher education employment frameworks in addition to handling large-scale restructuring programmes, unfair dismissal and discrimination claims, and strike action responses. Universities also frequently instruct the firm to advise on mergers, expansions, sales, and international activities. Nicola Bennison, an employment and discrimination specialist, divides her time between London and Nottingham and co-leads the practice with London-based lawyer Diane Gilhooley, who has handled a number of sexual harassment claims and regularly advises on industrial relations. Other key contacts in the team include London- and Cambridge-based governance expert Glynne Stanfield, who has advised on major mergers and expansions, and experienced litigator Alison Oldfield, who divides her time between London and Leeds and has a record of handling protestor disruptions.

The education practice at Mills & Reeve LLP comprises a large team of multidisciplinary lawyers who are well-equipped to advise a range of universities and Oxbridge colleges on high-value and complex strategic and contentious matters spanning employment, regulatory compliance, freedom of speech, and commercial issues. The national team is jointly led by Cambridge-based lawyer Gary Attle, who has acted in a variety of high-profile contentious mandates under the Equality Act 2010 and is also a key contact for regulatory matters related to data protection and freedom of speech, and Martin Priestley, who practices from Leeds and is active across a range of high-value mergers, acquisitions, and procurements for higher education clients. Other key contacts in the team include Cambridge-based lawyers Sarah Seed, a higher education financing and banking specialist, Jens Henniker Heaton, an expert on student accommodation projects, and Poppy Short, who advises on a wide range of academic partnerships and arrangements.

Pinsent Masons LLP excels at advising universities and other higher education providers on commercial operations and projects, with the team having been instructed on some of the highest-value student accommodation schemes, funding and financing initiatives, research developments, and M&A transactions. The firm is also well-equipped to handle contentious mandates, having acted for clients in a number of disputes related to contract breach claims, dismissals, and strike actions. Victoria Goddard, a property expert who regularly advises on the development, acquisition, and disposal of major student accommodation projects, is based in Leeds and heads the national team. Also in Leeds, Julian Sladdin is the key contact for the team’s litigation work and has successfully defended leading universities in a number of high-profile group litigations and judicial reviews. In Birmingham, employment lawyers Helen Corden and Rebecca Stephen are noted for their work on industrial relations, including high-profile claims related to discrimination, and Gayle Ditchburn is noted for her expertise on structuring and governance issues. London-based banking expert Alexis Hayworth is also a key contact, with a particularly strong reputation for advising universities on sustainability financing matters.

Shakespeare Martineau LLP‘s education team is composed of lawyers based who are ‘extremely knowledgeable in their field’ and are particularly well-reputed for their expertise in a broad range of contentious matters. The team has acted for universities and further education institutions in a number of commercial and property disputes, discrimination claims, investigations related to regulatory breaches, and claims related to unfair dismissals and freedom of speech restrictions. Smita Jamdar, who leads the Birmingham-based practice, has acted for universities in a number of OfS investigations and has also led the team to handle a growing number of non-contentious mandates related to governance, charity, and commercial matters. David Browne and Tom Long are noted for their experience in reputationally sensitive employment matters, and Clive Read is highly recommended for his ability to advise universities on real estate and student accommodation schemes. For contentious work related to discrimination and harassment, Andrew Adams and Ben Humphreys are further names to note. Catherine Rustomji, who advises on charity governance matters, joined from Browne Jacobson in April 2022.

Blake Morgan LLP's education team is instructed by Oxford colleges as well as universities and FE colleges across the country to advise on a wide range of matters and stands out for its deep knowledge of regulatory and student-related issues. Under the leadership of Cardiff-based practice head and employment specialist Matthew Smith, the team has advised education providers on registration and accreditation processes and acted in standout contentious matters related to employee grievances and student complaints. Also in Cardiff, Joanna Rees has advised on major campus developments, and Trish D'Souza, who arrived from Capital Law Limited in October 2022, is a key contact for contentious work and investigations. Oxford-based lawyers Richard Wade, a procurement expert, and John Deech, who advises on property issues, are further names to note.

The education practice at Browne Jacobson LLP provides construction law advice, acts in contentious matters, and handles regulatory compliance issues for a growing roster of clients, including the likes of the University of Brighton and the London School of Economics. The practice is co-led by Bettina Rigg, an employment and education specialist who has represented universities in judicial reviews and investigations related to student and staff issues, and Dominic Swift, who is highly recommended for his experience advising clients on high-value, strategically important construction projects. Scott Mounfield is a further key contact for procurement and project work, while IP expert Nick Smee has advised higher education on contract agreements and commercialisation initiatives.

Since its merger with BLM in July 2022, Clyde & Co's team of higher education experts continues to stand out for its cross-border expertise, with university and sector organisation clients regularly instructing the team to provide corporate and commercial advice on international operations. The practice is particularly noted for its expertise in the procurement space, having advised the likes of University College London and the University of Sheffield on procurement initiatives in connection with major construction and IT projects. Practice head David Hansom is a key contact for the team's procurement work, while James Major and Elliot Pound advise universities on contentious student and employment matters. Simon Gamblin is well-regarded for his advice on mergers and joint ventures, and data protection expert Mark Williamson is a further name to note.

Farrer & Co acts for a client roster that encompasses some of the UK’s largest universities, as well as sector associations such as the Association of Commonwealth Universities. The team is respected for its ability to handle crisis management work of a reputationally sensitive nature and is regularly instructed to handle employment matters, commercial issues, and research/IP disputes, with a record of acting in contentious mandates spanning from discrimination and unfair dismissal claims to research misconduct allegations. Under the leadership of IP and commercial specialist David Copping, the London-based team also regularly assists with high-profile projects and partnerships, including campus openings, research collaboration agreements, and acquisitions. The team benefits from the expertise of Kathleen Heycock, whose expertise in employment and safeguarding issues make her a key contact for student complaints, industrial relations, and misconduct allegations. Sam Macdonald, an experienced charity and tax lawyer who is regarded as a key contact for matters related to governance and fundraising, Jeremy Isaacson, who advises on high-profile research and IP issues, and safeguarding specialist David Smellie are also highly recommended.

The multidisciplinary education practice at VWV is well-regarded for its expertise in contentious matters, having represented universities across the country in employment tribunal claims, data breach claims, issues related to student accommodation, and internal disciplinary investigations. Birmingham-based practice head Jane Byford has advised a wide array of clients on the contentious and non-contentious aspects of employment and HR law, and London lawyer Bob Fahy is a further trusted contact for work related to industrial relations. On the non-contentious side, the practice also actively advises on procurement matters in connection with high-value commercial initiatives and construction projects. Birmingham-based corporate expert Morag Roddick, who joined from Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP in September 2022, and Bristol-based corporate student relations lawyer Kris Robbetts extend the practice’s offering into the regulatory compliance space and regularly provide advice on important university governance issues.

Clients such as Queen Mary University London and the Open University rely on Weightmans LLP‘s ‘excellent sector knowledge‘ and depth of experience in procurement matters and disputes. The team has advised on high-value campus construction projects and redevelopments and taken on a wide array of contentious mandates, including procurement claims, contractual disputes, inquests following student deaths, and other reputationally sensitive student and staff disciplinary issues. Practice head Martin Vincent is also regularly entrusted to advise universities on strategically important regulatory, IP, and governance issues. Richard Vaughan is a key contact for high-value construction projects, while Josh Conroy, Susan Matthews, and Melanie Steed are highly recommended for their ability to act in contentious matters.

Bates Wells has a strong reputation for providing full-service advice to FE colleges and non-university educational establishments, especially in relation to regulatory compliance, accreditation and registration processes, and strategically important employment and charity matters. Under the leadership of governance and commercial expert Jean Tsang, the team has advised on numerous FE college mergers, demergers, and acquisitions, and it is also trusted to provide corporate advice on procurement and IP commercialisation initiatives. Education expert Claire Whittle is also highly recommended for her expertise in registration and safeguarding matters. Lucy McLynn spearheads the team’s employment offering and regularly advises on staffing issues and industrial relations as well as disciplinary proceedings.

The Bristol-based team at Burges Salmon LLP is well-regarded for its advice to governing institutions such as Ofsted and the Department for Education, who instruct the team to advise on regulatory proceedings and contractual arrangements in connection with the execution of major outsourcing projects and mergers. The team also offers university clients solid advice on major construction projects, procurement initiatives, and employment matters, especially in connection with pension and immigration issues. Practice head Matthew Ramus leads the team’s relationship with the Department for Education and is well-regarded for his understanding of strategically important education projects. For employment matters, Luke Bowery and Huw Cooke are highly recommended contacts.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is instructed by universities and Oxbridge colleges to handle ‘complex and cutting-edge cases‘ involving contentious employment and student disciplinary matters as well as handling a wide spectrum of governance and commercial matters in relation to data privacy, partnerships and contracts, and real estate. The team boasts notable expertise in issues related to safeguarding, student and staff misconduct, and industrial relations. Employment specialists Daff Richardson, who is based in Oxford, and Hilary Aldred, who practices from Cambridge, are regularly entrusted to act in complex mandates surrounding discrimination, freedom of speech, and no platforming. Oxford-based governance and student relations expert Sam Rose is also highly recommended. In London, immigration specialist Pat Saini and commercial expert Anna Frankum are further key contacts.

Bevan Brittan LLP‘s education team provides ‘high quality advice and an excellent service‘ across the full range of education matters, with clients such as Swansea University and the University of West London instructing the firm in contentious and non-contentious mandates related to procurements and campus construction projects, student safeguarding issues, educational partnerships, and Equality Act compliance. The nationwide team is co-led by London-based lawyer Virginia Cooper, who acts for universities in sensitive contract disputes and student claims, and employment specialist Ashley Norman, who practices from Birmingham. Educational governance and regulations expert Amy Tschobotko is also recommended.

Withers LLP‘s higher education team provides strong advice on matters related to charity law and also displays strong multinational expertise, with its team of lawyers across the US and UK regularly assisting clients with cross-border educational partnerships and arrangements. The London team is led by charity experts Philip Reed, Alison Paines, and Chris Priestley, who have advised on the establishment of multijurisdictional educational charities, joint ventures, and strategically important governance matters. Advice on research initiatives is a further area of expertise for the team, which has provided commercial and IP support to clients in connection with large-scale research projects.

The higher education team at Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP advises universities and other educational organisations on commercial initiatives as well as governance and regulatory compliance matters, working with clients such as Durham University and NCFE to assist with commercial arrangements, campus projects and redevelopments, and student safeguarding issues. Charity lawyer Emma Moody is frequently entrusted to advise on universities' governance arrangements and regulatory regimes and co-leads the national practice from Newcastle together with procurement expert Kevin Robertson. Southampton-based employment specialist Christina Tolvas-Vincent is also highly recommended.