Our experienced education law specialists provide legal advice to schools and academies.
With multi-disciplinary specialists across Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks, our team has significant experience in advising a wide range of education institutions, including academies.
Our Academies Team offers a full range of legal services that a multi-academy trust may require now or in the future. We have comprehensive experience of advising on conversions, transfers between trusts, multi-academy trust mergers, employment/HR matters, SEND, student issues and disputes, property arrangements, commercial matters, governance and funding arrangements and other day-to-day aspects of running an academy.
Our Experience
Canonium Learning Trust
We advised the multi-academy trust on the academy conversion of St Andrew’s Church of England Primary Academy in Essex and another church of England primary school which completed in April 2024. Both academy conversions have involved the transfer of local authority land under a lease, and Diocesan land under a Church Supplemental Agreement. The transfer of St Andrew’s also involved a statutory transfer of land.
Diamond Learning Partnership Trust
The trust currently comprises of 15 schools. We advise on general day to day issues across the Multi-Academy Trust working closely with the HR team and key senior leaders within the Trust. We have advised on various issues, including pregnancy and maternity leave, sabbatical leave, grievance and disciplinary matters, sickness absence, performance management, holiday pay and contractual matters.
Advising Multi-Academy Trust on the re-brokering of its schools
We advised a Multi-Academy Trust on the re-brokering of all of its schools. This was complex matter that involved transferring the schools to multiple incoming Multi-Academy Trusts, and advising on points around liabilities, division of reserves, dilapidations and the surrender of a school site.