Mills & Reeve LLP

Mills & Reeve LLP is renowned for its work on high-profile and complex matters in the higher education sector. The department is well-equipped to handle a wide range of cases such as employment matters, mergers, harassment and misconduct, free speech, overseas expansions as well as discrimination and equality cases. The team is spearheaded by Martin Priestley, who has extensive experience advising universities on commercial projects and international collaborations. The Birmingham-based Richard Sykes advises higher educational institutions on public and administrative law as well as governance, while the Cambridge-based Poppy Short advises on the full range of corporate and commercial matters. Sarah Seed has vast experience advising universities on financial challenges, and Helen Tringham focuses on public law and data protection matters. Other key members of the team include employment experts Nicola Brown and Alex Russell, property specialists Richard Noble, Christian Bull and Jennifer Lewis and construction expert Alexandra Pike. Former practice head Gary Attle left the firm in December 2024.