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Education sector - schools

The schools sector is going through a significant period of change. The Eversheds Sutherland's Education Schools and Academies team have considerable experience providing a broad range of high quality legal advice to schools and academies throughout the UK. We are fully aware of the latest issues you face and are ideally placed to guide you through any changes or issues you are having.

As recognised experts in the sector, we are committed to providing innovative, strategic and robust legal advice to schools, tailored to meet your needs and the unique challenges faced by you. At Eversheds Sutherland we believe we have created the best legal service to meet your needs. Our expertise is second to none, we keep up to date with sector developments and design products and services to anticipate our clients’ needs.

Our approach to fees is refreshingly modern. Our aim is always to help you manage your budget effectively. Predictability of cost is tied into our brand values - "Accountability" and "Straightforward". Our transactions are project managed to an agreed budget, plan and timetable. We are then committed to this plan and budget, only deviating from it if changes are agreed with you.

Eversheds LLP stands out for its ‘knowledge, breadth of experience, and standing among peers’.”

Legal 500

How we can help

In the Eversheds Sutherland's Education Schools and Academies team we have people who can deal with any legal issue. In every area you will be talking to a specialist who delivers consistent and informed advice for your school. This means one firm, one team and one solution to your needs. Some of our recent experience includes:

  • Advising on the conversion of and procurement and operational issues in relation to over 250 academies.
  • Advice in relation to University Technology Colleges.
  • Advice in relation to Studio Schools and Free Schools.
  • Advice to the independent sector, particularly in relation to the interaction between the public/private sector and internationalist aspects.
  • Constitutional advice.
  • Governance issues.
  • Child protection and student issues.

  • Employment and pensions.

Our experience

Maintained schools

In the past we have usually provided advice on issues facing maintained schools via their maintaining local authority, and we are still happy to do this where it is appropriate. However, as local authority budgets are cut and an increasing number of maintained schools convert to academy status, some local authorities are no longer able to help their schools with legal problems, leaving schools free to take their own legal advice. Sometimes you may want independent advice and here we may be able to help the school, subject to clearing any possible conflict of interest with the authority concerned. The range of issues on which we can help is generally similar to that faced by academies. We also have experience of advising school consortia and advising on the establishment and ongoing advice for School Companies, for example on governance, funding issues and school improvement.

Contact us

Ben Wood, Partner

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Eversheds Sutherland is the name and brand under which the members of Eversheds Sutherland Limited (Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP and Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP) and their respective controlled, managed and affiliated firms and the members of Eversheds Sutherland (Europe) Limited (each an "Eversheds Sutherland Entity" and together the "Eversheds Sutherland Entities") provide legal or other services to clients around the world. Eversheds Sutherland Entities are constituted and regulated in accordance with relevant local regulatory and legal requirements and operate in accordance with their locally registered names. The use of the name Eversheds Sutherland, is for description purposes only and does not imply that the Eversheds Sutherland Entities are in a partnership or are part of a global LLP. The responsibility for the provision of services to the client is defined in the terms of engagement between the instructed firm and the client.