Education

For more than 50 years, HCR has had a significant presence in the education sector, gaining a national reputation as a key player in the field of education law. Covering the full spectrum of legal advice and support for educational institutions, we’re trusted to help solve their problems while achieving their strategic aims and objectives.  As experienced education solicitors, we work with over 300 educational establishments, from nurseries to universities, on the full range of legal challenges they face.

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The HCR Education Sector Team

Legal updates and thought leadership

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Our experience in the education sector

Our dedicated team of legal experts are all passionate about education. As a firm, we have extensive, collective experience in the sector; we understand the interplay of education law and best practice, and we’re familiar with how schools and educational institutions operate and are regulated. Our education lawyers advise on everything from safeguarding and employment through to higher education law for universities and further education colleges, working alongside one of the few education law firms with genuine depth across the whole sector.

Working collaboratively with governors, heads, bursars, COOs and senior leadership teams, we offer practical solutions across the breadth and depth of all relevant legal issues. These include safeguarding, parent and pupil advice, parental complaints, employment law advice, mergers and acquisitions, data protection, charities and governance issues, dispute resolution, property and international projects.

Our clients in educational institutions

We’re trusted by over 300 educational establishments from nurseries to higher and further education colleges and universities. In addition, we act in an advisory capacity to the highest level of education associations.

Our expertise in shaping guidance and policies led to us developing a national Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy for the ISBA, as well as templates for staff handbooks and contracts.

An image of Paul Watkins

Our Education newsletter

We publish monthly insights into the latest developments for independent schools in our newsletter, Spot on for Schools, as well as information about upcoming events. If you’d like to receive a copy, please sign up below.

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Recognition of our work

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Hear what our clients say about us

We couldn’t have done it without you and your team and we are so grateful for your guidance! You’ve all been a pleasure to work with and I’d happily recommend HCR to fellow Bursars.

Client testimonial School Bursar

Thank you for what has been an excellent service and a great partnership. Your engagement, and by this I mean both yours and the wider team, has always been first rate. We have valued your sage and expert advice and of course all of the work completed on our behalf. I also appreciate how swift you have been to respond to issues as they arose and this has been very valuable; it is not always the case with some firms. In short, thank you for excellent support.

What a journey it has been and we now move into a new era for St George’s.

Client testimonial Client school

Thank you to you James Morgan and all the team for your advice, assistance, diligence and multiple hours ensuring this deal has been completed so smoothly. Please pass on my gratitude to Jess Boardman, Caitlin Swift, Morgan West, Ben Weiland and anyone else who has been involved!

Client testimonial Anonymous school

Thank you James, Micayla and Jessica for guiding and supporting us so expertly. We couldn’t have done it without you. Your expertise and help has been both invaluable and reassuring in taking us through the process. A major and very exciting step for the school!

Client testimonial Independent school

Thank you so much for all of your support with our transaction. Our Chair of the Building Committee and myself are so grateful for both your professionalism and for the personal commitments that you both made to support the School.

The matter required a quick resolution to ensure that the school was able to secure the facility promptly, as otherwise there was a risk they would lose their existing use of the site altogether. However thanks to the work of Morgan and James, as well as assistance from the wider team of Paul Watkins, Steve Thomas and Oliver Daniels the school was able to secure the site and the assets of the outgoing operator in a timely manner.

Bromsgrove School Sport centre acquisition

Oliver demonstrates an exceptional level of client service. He is proactive, responsive and understands our specific needs and challenges.

Client testimonial Chambers 2026

Kristine Scott has deep knowledge of the sector and demonstrates great leadership of the team, with a strong emphasis on ethos, values, client service and relationships.

Client testimonial Chambers 2026

Rachel Parkin is our usual contact, and we have built a good relationship with her over the last few years. We have had a few tricky cases, and Rachel has guided us through these. Rachel understands our school and I would always feel confident with her advice. Kristine Scott is also extremely helpful when we have spoken with her.

Client testimonial Legal 500 2026

Oliver Daniels – stands head and shoulders above other employment lawyers that I have worked with. Knowledgeable and willing to take time to explain complex issues in layman’s terms.

Client testimonial Legal 500 2026

HCR are fantastic at understanding how independent schools work and the employment challenges we face. We have a designated contact, but when they are not available, we are always confident with other members of the team providing advice. They are pragmatic and I always feel reassured by their approach.

Client testimonial Legal 500 2026

I have been extremely impressed with the responsiveness, the professionalism, the pragmatism and consistency of the team. They clearly work closely together and keep each other up to date, so that even if two different team members are working with me on separate issues, they are themselves joined up.

Client testimonial Legal 500 2026

Their response rate is exceptional, and they understand client pressures. They inspire confidence in their ability to come up with pragmatic solutions understanding the need to balance risk with delivering solutions.

Client testimonial Legal 500 2026

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Frequently Asked Questions

Education solicitors advise schools, academies, colleges and universities on the legal issues they face day to day, safeguarding, employment, governance, admissions and disputes among them. HCR’s education solicitors combine sector-specific experience with full legal expertise, working with governors, heads and senior leadership teams rather than treating each matter as a one-off instruction.

Education lawyers bring sector-specific context general commercial solicitors don’t, understanding how schools are regulated, funded and governed, not just the law itself. HCR’s education lawyers work exclusively with educational institutions, meaning advice reflects how the sector actually operates, not a generic legal template applied to a school.

The strongest education law firms combine legal expertise with genuine sector knowledge, understanding safeguarding obligations, academy structures and governance, not just contract law. HCR has advised the education sector for over 50 years and works with more than 300 educational establishments, from nurseries through to universities.

Yes, HCR’s education team advises universities and further education colleges on higher education law, covering governance, regulatory compliance, commercial arrangements and disputes specific to the higher education sector. This sits alongside our wider schools and academies work, giving the team visibility across the full education landscape.

HCR’s education solicitors advise on safeguarding, parent and pupil matters, employment law, mergers and acquisitions, data protection, charities and governance, dispute resolution, property and international projects. The team has developed national guidance for education associations including ISBA, reflecting the depth of experience behind that advice.