Education Solicitor

VWV; Bristol; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious law firm is seeking an experienced education lawyer to join its regulatory compliance practice in Bristol. This role involves advising independent schools on both contentious and non-contentious legal issues, with a focus on safeguarding, admissions, and disciplinary matters. The ideal candidate will possess in-depth knowledge of education law and a commitment to supporting educational institutions through regulatory changes. A hybrid working model is encouraged, allowing for flexible working arrangements to maintain team cohesion and foster a strong organizational culture.

Qualifications

• Experience in advising independent schools and governing bodies.
• Ability to handle sensitive cases and maintain discretion.
• Knowledge of safeguarding obligations and incident management.

Responsibilities

• Advise on admissions, exclusions, and student behavior matters.
• Supervise team work and implement strategy in education sector.
• Provide regulatory compliance guidance and reputation protection.

Skills

Education law expertise

Regulatory compliance knowledge

Experience with independent schools

Contentious and non-contentious issue handling

Job description

An exceptional opportunity for an education lawyer at a top-ranked practice! At VWV, we are committed to advising and representing education providers. This role aims to expand our thriving, profitable regulatory compliance practice with a bright and pragmatic lawyer, likely at solicitor or associate level. Regulatory compliance work is central to our firm's success, offering a chance to work at the very core of our operations.

About us

We are a Top 100, full-service UK law firm with over 500 employees. With offices in London, Watford, Bristol, and Birmingham, we pride ourselves on our close-knit and friendly culture. We value integrity and authenticity, encouraging our team to be themselves both internally and with clients. Known for the quality of our work and our people, we seek proactive, passionate individuals who demonstrate humor and humility.

Our Regulatory Compliance practice

Our specialist regulatory compliance team guides clients, especially education and health and social care providers, through complex legal frameworks and challenges. Many clients are nationally renowned, and our work is driven by legal and political developments, making the practice dynamic and evolving.

Our sector knowledge, high service standards, and flexible pricing set us apart. Our work is recognized in legal directories (we are tier 1 in our practice area) and by sector press and associations. The team is led by a Partner and includes 5 partners, 21 lawyers, and 4 support staff.

The role

If you are an experienced education lawyer with expertise in parent and student matters and regulatory compliance for independent schools, this role is for you. Ideally, you will have experience in both contentious and non-contentious issues, advising independent schools, school groups, and governing bodies on a broad range of legal matters.

You will work closely with the lead for independent school practice, supervising team work and helping to implement our strategy in this sector. Your caseload may include advising on admissions, exclusions (including appeals), student behavior, disciplinary issues, safeguarding, SEN, equality matters, handling complaints and claims (including tribunals), and guiding schools through inspections and regulatory compliance.

You will also provide incident management and reputation protection services, crucial for independent schools. Familiarity with fee disputes, parental complaints, safeguarding obligations, and handling sensitive cases discreetly to preserve reputation is essential.

This role offers a unique opportunity to support independent schools through regulatory and political changes and to help them thrive.

Location

We are flexible regarding location. Our culture values social interaction, so we encourage hybrid working—partly from our offices and partly remotely. Ideally, you would be based at one of our locations part of each week to foster a strong team connection and benefit from our friendly culture. We are happy to discuss specific hybrid working arrangements on an individual basis.