Mergers, acquisitions and strategy review

Our expert group of lawyers headed by partner Barney Northover advises charitable schools, proprietary schools, universities and colleges, nurseries, nursery groups, academies, cathedrals and non-education charities, across the whole range of legal compliance, due diligence and public relations required in corporate transactions for charitable education bodies.

The members of this highly specialised group of lawyers currently include 8 partners and 12 junior/mid-range solicitors and trainees in the following legal disciplines -

  • Charities corporate
  • Tax planning and tax efficient structures
  • Banking and finance
  • Charity and regulatory compliance
  • Charity land and permanent endowment
  • Employment
  • Intellectual property
  • Public relations

Because the initial stages of a transaction 'from vision to announcement' may be crucial to its eventual success, we recommend involvement of our legal team from the outset and we have written a number of key guidance documents that can be supplied immediately we receive your instructions.

Work experience/case studies:

  • Incorporations and scheme revisions for more than 50 independent schools (1998/2006)
  • The merger of Heathfield School and St Mary's School, Wantage (2006)
  • The merger discussions of Bethany School with Bedgebury School (2006)
  • The sale of Mark College to a group (2004/05)
  • The merger of Leeds Grammar School and Leeds Girls High School (2003/06)
  • The sale of The Hellenic College (2006)
  • Eight other proposed mergers of schools (2004/06)
  • Supplemental charters for a number of schools and an Oxford college (2004/06)
  • Advice as to structural change affecting three cathedrals (2003/06)
  • Setting up the Arnold Foundation and foundations for other schools (2003/06)
  • Advising the Sutton Trust on its Open Access School, Belvedere GDST (1998/2006)
  • Setting up three [City] Academies (2002/06)
  • Advising maintained school governors under PFI (1998/2004)

Please click here to access our Education Deal Tombstone document for details of recent transactions.

Click here to access our Transactions and Funding teamsheet for the full range of services we can offer.