Education

We work with independent schools, Academies, Multi Academy Trusts and Colleges.  Our lawyers have an expert and deep understanding of the education sector, and regularly speak at education conferences and net working events to influence the development of the education sector.  We offer a wide range of services, often on a firm and fixed fee, and provide total transparency over the work we undertake.

We can be instructed regarding the transfer of assets between Academy Trusts under a Commercial Transfer Agreement.  This includes the negotiation and preparation of Development and Funding Agreements, the preparation and drafting of licences and leases, and the transfer through novation or assignment of construction documents.  We draft consultancy service agreements between Academies and their consultants, and we draft Contracts and Schedules of Contract Amendments between Trusts and Contractors.  We have extensive experience in preparing Collateral Warranties and in conducting due diligence of the supply chain.

Dispute Resolution

We have extensive experience in resolving disputes in the education sector.  We conduct claims and negotiations against main contractors and developers, Architects and Engineers, and on occasion Local Authorities.  Our lawyers regularly work with the RPA and Zurich insurance and we give presentations at education networking events.  Our construction lawyers are all members of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and experts in the pursuit or defence of matters at adjudication.

Project Counsel

For Project work we can be engaged as Project Counsel.  We sit alongside the client from the outset of a project, and we advise on the process and next steps to ensure everything runs smoothly, and everyone involved is doing what they need to do.  We act as the lawyer for the project and we undertake all the legal work on a fixed fee.  Essentially, its like having an in house lawyer for a specific project, working on a project specific retainer.  We oversee all the legalities from the time we are instructed until handover.  We help ensure everyone is doing what they ought to do, and that the project concludes on time and to budget.  Our clients greatly value the opportunity to involve their lawyers at every stage of the project, to mitigate risk and ensure compliance with the requirements of DfE and funders.  As Project Counsel we supplement the design team, help plug the gaps, and add genuine value.

Contract Administration

As Contract Administrator we expand on the Project Counsel role to include all the contract and project administration.  Once the contractor is contracted we oversee the works to ensure compliance with the design.  We monitor and report on progress and the quality of the works, and we advise on issues of payments, variations and extensions of time.  We manage the project and the contractors and consultants to relieve the pressure on the client.