case studies

New-education-apples-child

 

Our Education team acts for higher and further education establishments, independent schools, special needs schools and LEA clients.  We also advise commercial providers of education services and careers companies.  Specifically, clients include:

  • higher education institutions, universities and university colleges
  • further education colleges
  • students’ unions
  • LEA maintained schools
  • independent schools
  • nursery schools
  • providers to the education sector
  • careers companies
  • professional representative bodies
  • special schools
  • Learning and Skills Councils
  • joint venture partners, collaborators and spin-out companies

 

Examples of our recent work include:

 

capital projects/re-structuring

  • charities and governance; the restructuring and the creation of new charitable structures to facilitate the development and to benefit from substantial VAT savings
  • construction law advice on professional appointments, construction contracts and collateral guarantees and warranties
  • property advice on the acquisition and development of property, leases and licences in connection with the projects
  • planning advice on development plans and property acquisitions and disposals
  • banking advice on the obtaining of loans and granting of security to fund projects

 

independent schools

  • advising a leading independent school on its contractual relationships with parents and the local education authority involving pupil with a statement of special educational needs
  • advising a leading independent school on trustee benefits and making a proposed payment to a governor for professional services provided to the school
  • advising a leading independent school on a major review of its memorandum and articles of association and the governance of the school to ensure it complied with charity and other regulations
  • advising a special needs independent school on parental rights of an 18-year-old pupil, including advice on capacity, consent and the limits of authority of a power of attorney

 

students’ unions

  • advising the Students’ Union of a major university on insolvency and related matters connected with its trading arm and a VAT planning arrangement

 

higher education

  • undertaking a range of property work, including disposals of investment properties and continuing advice on joint equity schemes for a number of Oxford Colleges
  • acting for a university in its incorporation and in obtaining exempt status as a charity 
  • acting for a higher education college in the acquisition of a new lease of listed building for additional teaching space and other facilities

 

further education

  • advising the administrator of a further education college trust in administration on the disposal of its property and assets as a going concern as part of its administration

 

educational trust

  • advising a major educational trust on re-constituting the central administration of a national provider of after-schools educational provision as a charitable company

 

For further information please contact Adrian Pashley in the Education team on 023 9228 2750 or email adrian.pashley@bllaw.co.uk