Education Partner sought for L500 ranked department at Top 100 law firm

The Opportunity

Our client, a Top 100 law firm are looking to recruit an established Education Partner to join their Legal 500 ranked team.

This is a senior leadership role, with responsibility for leading and developing the firm's academies practice. You will advise a broad range of state-funded education clients, including Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs), Single Academy Trusts (SATs) and state schools, across a wide spectrum of regulatory, advisory and contentious matters.

The role will cover areas such as registration and inspection, admissions and appeals, complaints and governance, SEND and discrimination, pupil discipline and safeguarding, investigations, civil claims and judicial review, and critical incident management.

The Firm

This is a Top 100, full-service UK law firm with a market-leading reputation in the education sector, consistently ranked in the top tiers of the legal directories.

The firm is known for its deep sector expertise, acting for a wide range of nationally recognised education providers. Their work is often shaped by evolving legal and political developments, making this a dynamic and engaging practice area.

Culturally, the firm prides itself on being friendly, collaborative and non-hierarchical. There is a strong emphasis on teamwork, inclusivity and long-term relationship building, both internally and with clients.

Requirements

• Established Partner with a demonstrable client following
• Significant experience advising in the state-funded education sector, acting for MATs, SATs and state schools
• Strong grounding in public law issues affecting education clients
• Expertise across a broad range of education matters, including governance, safeguarding, admissions, SEND, complaints and regulatory issues
• Experience handling complex and sensitive matters such as investigations, judicial review and critical incidents
• A collaborative leadership style, with the ability to nurture and develop teams while contributing to long-term growth

Benefits

• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements
• Strong internal support, including dedicated sector-focused teams
• Excellent platform for further practice growth within a top-ranked education team

To be considered for this opportunity, please apply or contact Sophie Cogger at Birchrose Associates for a confidential discussion.

Birchrose Associates, trading name of Huntress Search Ltd, acts as a Recruitment Agency in relation to all Permanent roles and as a Recruitment Business in relation to all Temporary roles.

We practice a diverse and inclusive recruitment process that ensures equal opportunity for all we work with, irrespective of race, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, age or gender. As an organisation, we encourage applications from all backgrounds and will ensure measures are met when required, to allow a fair process throughout.

PLEASE NOTE: We can only consider applications from candidates who have the right to work in the UK.