Education Solicitor

Leeds – £60,000 - £65,000

This is an excellent opportunity for a junior lawyer to develop their career within a specialist practice advising schools, further education institutions, academy trusts and universities on a broad range of regulatory, governance and contentious education matters.

The successful candidate will work closely with experienced lawyers within a supportive and collaborative environment, gaining significant client exposure and responsibility from an early stage.

The Opportunity This role offers a varied and interesting caseload across the education sector, combining advisory, transactional and contentious work. You will work with clients nationally and support educational institutions on complex regulatory and compliance matters.

The Education team works closely alongside the Employment practice, delivering a comprehensive legal service tailored to the needs of education sector clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Advising educational institutions on statutory policies and regulatory compliance
• Providing advice on equality law, special educational needs and the Children and Families Act 2014
• Supporting clients with complaints handling, investigations and process management
• Advising academy trusts on governance and regulatory matters including funding agreements, notices to improve and Academy Trust Handbook requirements
• Supporting clients on pupil and student exclusions, admissions and Schools Adjudicator matters
• Advising on Freedom of Information and Data Protection requests
• Providing governance support to maintained schools and academy trusts, including drafting documentation and liaising with the Department for Education
• Reviewing and advising on commercial contracts and procurement matters
• Supporting academy conversion and transactional work
• Assisting with education sector litigation including Judicial Review, SEND Tribunal and County Court proceedings

About You 

• Qualified Solicitor status with between NQ – 3 years’ PQE
• Experience within education law or demonstrable experience supporting an education team
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage a varied caseload
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A commercial and pragmatic approach to client service
• The ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team
• Strong attention to detail and adherence to procedures
• An understanding of client needs and the ability to build strong working relationships
• Flexibility to travel to client sites and other offices where required

Why Apply? 

• High-quality and varied work across the education sector
• Early client responsibility and exposure
• Ongoing training, mentoring and career development opportunities
• A collaborative and inclusive working culture
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• The opportunity to build expertise within a growing and nationally recognised practice

If you are looking to develop your career in education law within a dynamic and supportive environment, we would love to hear from you.