Education Associate

VWV Law; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

VWV is seeking an education lawyer to join our nationally renowned team. We're a Top 100, full‑service UK law firm with offices in Bristol, Birmingham, London and Watford, offering a supportive culture and exposure to a broad range of education matters.

The role covers admissions, exclusions, safeguarding, SEND and equality issues for education providers, with a path to specialist practice in a fast‑moving sector. Hybrid working is available, with at least two days per week in the office.

Qualifications

• Experience in education law within a commercial law firm
• Ability to advise on complex education regulatory matters
• Strong client and stakeholder management skills

Responsibilities

• Advise on admissions, exclusions and appeals for education providers
• Manage safeguarding, SEND and equality issues
• Handle complaints and claims including court/tribunal work
• Provide governance, regulatory and policy guidance to schools and groups

Skills

Education Law

Education

Qualified solicitor

Job description

Outstanding role for an education lawyer at a top-ranked practice! Here at VWV, we're looking for a bright and empathetic lawyer with strong experience in education law to join our nationally renowned team.

About Us

We're a Top 100, full-service UK law firm with around 630 employees. With 4 offices in Bristol, Birmingham, London and Watford, you'll be struck by our close-knit and friendly culture. We believe in integrity and authenticity - in each one of us being ourselves, both in our interactions with each other and with our clients. With a reputation not just for the quality of our work, but also for the qualities of our people, we strive to recruit individuals who are proactive and passionate about what they do and who are able to demonstrate humour and humility in equal measure.

The Team

Working within our regulatory risk and resolution team, you'll enjoy a variety of work for education providers. Headed by Partner, Tabitha Cave, this team comprises 7 partners, 14 lawyers and 4 support colleagues. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a renowned team (we are Tier 1 for our practice in legal directories with a number of leading individuals in the field), and to enjoy a wide variety of work within a busy and dynamic sector.

The Role

As a team we undertake a wide range of contentious and non- contentious work for education providers. We cover the whole education ecosystem: early years, independent schools, academies and maintained schools, as well as further and higher education providers, special schools and online providers. Many of our clients are nationally- and internationally-renowned schools and school groups and much of our work is driven by legal and political developments in our key sectors, which means that no two days are ever the same!

Your caseload will likely include advising on admissions, exclusions and appeals, managing student behaviour and disciplinary issues, safeguarding, special educational needs and disability (SEND) and equality matters, handling complaints and claims (including court and tribunal work) and guiding schools through registration, inspection and regulatory compliance. You may also provide critical incident management and reputation protection services and specialist corporate support.

There is a real opportunity to specialise in a fast-paced and evolving sector which will set you apart from many of your peers and enable you to advance your career at a pace that you dictate.

About You

Whilst we're open to hearing from a variety of lawyers with education experience, for this role we anticipate that you're most likely working at associate or senior associate level and are particularly interested in candidates with public law experience. We know that education work is niche and for this reason we don't expect you to have gained experience in all of the elements listed within the role.

Perhaps you're with a national practice and feel overlooked; maybe you're in a small boutique firm and are looking for a firm with greater education law expertise - either way, here at VWV you'll enjoy being part of a team whose success is an integral part of the firm's.

Where will I be working?

Whilst we work to a hybrid model, for this role we would like you to work from one of our offices for at least 2 days of the week. In this way, you'll benefit first‑hand from our warm and friendly culture as well as facilitate cross referral opportunities from your colleagues in other teams. We are of course happy to discuss any specific requirements of hybrid working with candidates on an individual basis.

Why choose us?

There are so many reasons to stop and explore VWV further. We're known for our friendly and welcoming culture where teamwork and collaboration are key. We invite you to watch this short video on the right-hand side to see what our own people have to say about us.

At VWV, we're committed to your growth with our bespoke Learning Academy. On joining us you will be offered structured career-level programs across our core business areas to prepare you for promotion opportunities and career advancement.

We're striving to be an inclusive employer, to create a workplace and environment that promotes and values diversity, where everyone, regardless of background, can reach their full potential.