Education Associate (NQ-3 PQE)

Education Associate

Department: Education

Reporting to: Partner

Office: Birmingham/Nottingham/Manchester

Our client is a leading law firm with a strong focus on delivering impactful solutions across business and society. Social and environmental responsibility is central to their agenda. They are committed to promoting fairness, simplifying complexity, and fostering collaboration to deliver innovative solutions that improve outcomes for clients and communities alike.

With offices across the UK and Ireland, our client operates on a national scale with international reach. Their core sectors include health, real estate and construction, education, energy and infrastructure, financial services, government, insurance, manufacturing and industrials, and retail, consumer, and logistics.

They value diversity and inclusivity, fostering a culture where talent from all backgrounds can thrive. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic background, or age. As a Disability Confident Employer, they offer interviews to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Our client is dedicated to supporting the professional and personal growth of their team members. They offer flexible working arrangements to promote a healthy work-life balance and are committed to creating a supportive environment where everyone can succeed.

Why is this role important and how does it fit into the team, department, and wider firm?

Our client is a recognised expert and market leader in the education sector, experiencing dynamic growth in recent years. With a comprehensive national presence, they serve over 1,000 education sector organisations, including maintained and independent schools, academies, higher education institutions, further education colleges, local authorities, diocesan boards, regulatory bodies, educational charities, and professional associations. Their education team is ranked in Band One nationally for Education (Schools) by both Chambers and Legal 500, and they pride themselves on their supportive, dynamic, and innovative culture.

They are seeking to expand their education team by recruiting an associate to advise on a range of education law matters. While experience in both contentious and non-contentious education matters is preferred, newly qualified solicitors (NQs) with a genuine interest in the education sector will also be considered. The associate will advise clients nationwide on issues related to state-funded schools, including parent and student matters, safeguarding, data protection and AI, SEND, and disability discrimination.

This is a unique opportunity to join a market-leading, highly successful, and growing national education team that will support your career development.

What does the role actually involve?

• Providing advice to education clients on time and to the expected standard of technical competence
• Understanding client requirements and managing matters in line with agreed timelines and best practices
• Prioritising work effectively and managing multiple tasks
• Developing technical, sector, and commercial knowledge through training and supervision
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with colleagues and clients
• Actively participating in the education team’s business development and marketing activities

What technical skills are required for someone to be successful and enjoy the role?

• Experience in advising clients on education sector matters
• Particular knowledge or experience of working with higher education clients including supporting schools with disability discrimination claims and SEND appeals, as well as advising on a wide range of pastoral advice pieces such as admissions, exclusions, governance (and reviews) and complaints.
• Excellent legal drafting skills with the ability to provide clear, concise, and commercially relevant advice
• Up-to-date knowledge of legal developments and government policy within the education sector
• Proficiency in IT systems, including electronic time recording, MS Office, MS Teams, and Outlook

Who would be a good fit for this role?

As part of the education team, you would be expected to demonstrate the following skills and qualities:

• Ability to deliver high-quality advice to clients within tight timescales
• Clear and effective communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with clients and intermediaries
• Ability to work collaboratively within the education team, the broader department, and the wider firm
• Flexible, enthusiastic, energetic, ambitious, and results-oriented

This role offers an excellent platform for professional growth within a supportive and forward-thinking legal team that values expertise, innovation, and client service.

Please note our advertisements use PQE/salary levels purely as a guide. However we are happy to consider applications from all candidates who are able to demonstrate the skills necessary to fulfil the role.

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