Projects Solicitor - Education

Stone King LLP; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Profit Share Scheme

Private Medical Insurance

Life assurance (4x salary)

Pension scheme

Cycle to Work scheme

28 days’ annual leave, plus bank holyd

Hybrid working arrangements

Career development

Job summary

Stone King LLP is seeking a talented Solicitor to join our Education team in England. You will handle complex education law matters, providing high-quality advice to schools, academies and trusts, and you will develop trusted relationships with clients across the sector.

You will work with experienced colleagues, supervise junior lawyers, and contribute to business development while upholding the firm’s standards and collaborative culture.

Qualifications

• Experience managing complex legal matters or projects from inception through to completion.
• Strong project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Experience working directly with clients and building trusted advisory relationships.
• Ability to take ownership of day-to-day matter management while working under appropriate partner supervision.
• Excellent drafting, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to deliver high-quality work under pressure.
• Commercial awareness and the ability to provide practical, solution-focused advice.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a national team environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex and high value education matters, delivering excellent outcomes for clients.
• Build trusted, long-term relationships with clients across education providers.
• Collaborate across teams to ensure a seamless, high-quality client experience.
• Supervise, mentor and develop junior colleagues, supporting their growth.
• Contribute to a positive, inclusive, high-performing team culture and business development.

Job description

About us

At Stone King, we’re a purpose-driven law firm with a clear ambition: to deliver positive societal impact through the work we do with and for our clients. Since 1785, we’ve combined a proud heritage with a forward-looking approach, embracing change and investing in our future.

We work with many organisations and individuals who share our commitment to making a difference, including charities, social enterprises, faith-based organisations, educational institutions, businesses, public sector organisations and private individuals. We are nationally recognised for our expertise across the sectors we serve and are consistently ranked by Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500. Many of our lawyers are recognised as leading practitioners in their fields, reflecting the depth of expertise, sector knowledge and client service we provide.

We foster an inclusive and supportive culture where different perspectives are valued, people are empowered to develop and thrive.

The team

Our Education team is at the forefront of some of the most significant transformation projects taking place across the state-funded education sector. Our people support schools, academies and multi-academy trusts on complex academy conversions, trust growth initiatives, mergers, transfers and organisational change projects that shape the future of education provision across England. Working closely with educational leaders, government bodies, dioceses and other key stakeholders, we provide practical, strategic advice that helps organisations navigate change with confidence. Collectively, our work enables education providers to strengthen governance, expand opportunities for learners and build sustainable foundations for long-term success.

The opportunity

We are looking for a talented and motivated Solicitor to join our Education team. This is an exciting opportunity to work with a diverse client base, providing high-quality legal advice and building trusted relationships.

You’ll work alongside supportive and experienced colleagues, collaborating across teams to deliver excellent client service while continuing to develop your own skills and expertise.

This role offers the opportunity to:

• Lead and support on complex and high value legal matters within the Education sector, ensuring excellent outcomes for clients
• Build trusted, long-term relationships with clients, understanding their aims and supporting their success
• Work collaboratively across the team and wider firm to deliver a seamless and high-quality client experience
• Supervise, mentor and develop junior colleagues, supporting their growth and progression
• Contribute to a positive, inclusive and high performing team culture
• Take an active role in business development, including networking, thought leadership and client engagement
• Identify opportunities to enhance client service, improve ways of working and support the continued development of the practice
• Manage matters effectively, ensuring work is delivered to a high standard, in a timely and efficient way, and with appropriate commercial awareness
• Maintain high professional and regulatory standards at all times
• Continue your own professional development, staying informed of legal and sector developments

About You

We’re interested in hearing from candidates who can demonstrate the skills, experience and behaviours required to succeed in this role.

Essential

• Experience managing complex legal matters or projects from inception through to completion.
• Strong project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Experience working directly with clients and building trusted advisory relationships.
• Ability to take ownership of day-to-day matter management while working under appropriate partner supervision.
• Excellent drafting, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to deliver high-quality work under pressure.
• Commercial awareness and the ability to provide practical, solution-focused advice.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a national team environment.

Desirable

• Experience of academy conversion, transfer and merger projects.
• Experience advising academy trusts, multi-academy trusts and state-funded schools.
• Experience working within a recognised education law practice, local authority legal team or similar education-focused environment.
• Experience contributing to business development and client relationship growth.
• Experience supervising, mentoring or developing junior colleagues.
• Existing network of contacts within the education sector.

Personal Attributes

Alongside the technical requirements, we’re looking for someone who:

• Builds strong relationships and communicates effectively.
• Collaborates well with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Takes a proactive and solutions-focused approach.
• Manages priorities effectively and delivers high-quality work.
• Contributes positively to an inclusive and supportive team culture.

Why Join Stone King?

At Stone King, you’ll be part of a purpose-driven firm where your work has a meaningful impact on clients, communities and society. We combine sector-leading expertise with a collaborative and inclusive culture, creating an environment where people are trusted, supported and encouraged to thrive.

Alongside meaningful and rewarding work, we offer a competitive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, professional development and work-life balance, including:

• Competitive salary
• Profit Share Scheme
• Private Medical Insurance
• Life assurance (4x salary)
• Pension scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme
• 28 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays. Enhanced leave provisions for key life events, supporting you through important moments both inside and outside of work.
• An additional paid day each year to support CSR and volunteering activities.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• A collaborative, inclusive and supportive culture
• Investment in learning, development and career progression
• The opportunity to work alongside market-leading sector specialists
• Meaningful work that delivers positive impact for clients, communities and society

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At Stone King, we value individuality and are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive workplace where everyone can thrive. We are an equal opportunities employer, committed to ensuring all employment decisions are made fairly and without discrimination. We are proud signatories of the Mindful Business Charter, Race Fairness Commitment and Age Friendly Employer Pledge, and are a Disability Confident Employer.

We aim to make our recruitment process as accessible and inclusive as possible and will make reasonable adjustments where needed. As part of our Disability Confident commitment, we will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role, subject to any recruitment capacity constraints.

Want to know more?

This advert provides an overview of the opportunity. To request a copy of the full job description or alternative formats of the job description, please contact our Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].

Before you apply

Adverts will close when sufficient applications have been received. Therefore we would encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

Stone King LLP is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity by encouraging all our staff to achieve their full potential and guaranteeing that all employment decisions are taken without reference to irrelevant information or discriminatory practices.

Recruitment agencies – please do not send us unsolicited CVs. If you do so, we reserve the right to contact the candidate directly and your T&Cs will not apply.