ned education shortlist 2017
TRANSCRIPT
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 1
Education 2017
Legal Services
HR, Governance
Risk and Compliance
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 2
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 3
Contents
[Click to hyperlink to the page.]
Editorial: Supply & Demand
The Help That’s On Offer
People Risks
The Core Services
Ancillary Services
Property (& IP) Risks
Procurement Risks
Market Profile & Positioning
The Rating System
The Top Education Specialists: 5 Star Firms
The Four Star Firms
The Three Star Firms
The Two Star Firms
The Lone Star Firms
The Chasing Pack
Directory of Suppliers
Education Intermediaries
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 4
Supply and Demand The Legal Services transformation has come to the
Education sector in some style. There is plenty of choice.
Any school or college facing issues with establishment,
safeguarding, governance, risk or compliance now has an
abundance of specialists keen to help.
Back in the day the LEAs and public sector procurement frameworks identified the keenest
and most high profile suppliers. Now this involves comparing not just firms, but industries.
HR consultancies offer substitutable services to many law firms now, boutiques specialise in
education sectors, software teams empower traded services teams, financial and safety
specialists all pitch in too. The choice can be bewildering.
The legal services revolution has been driven by typically in-company professional lawyers
becoming very professional buyers of legal services. They specify precisely what is needed,
take some elements in-house to ensure the quality level they need, and expect the high value
people to focus only on the high value work. Law firms have to demonstrate competence in
technology, outsourcing, and service level agreements. Simply bringing the best people to
the table is no longer enough. Governance, risk and compliance (GRC) specialist teams,
often led by lawyers and usually employing them in-house to a significant degree are
transforming the legal services options. They typically have software embedded in their
solutions and service delivery, design the service around bursar or school leader specific
requirement sets and bring whatever components are required to make it happen. Many
such firms do so on fixed fee contracts, and expect to be able to build and maintain long-
term partnership arrangements with clients.
Law firms are still the go-to brands for many of the major transformation or establishment
projects where detailed knowledge of public sector or governmental contracting is rare and
essential. Even here, however, there are boutiques emerging who will work for either larger
law firms or clients direct to deliver this. The fact is the processes for conversion are now well
established and while not yet commoditised, certainly predictable. The smart law firms have
focused therefore on either niche specialisms or regional profiles. It takes something for a
private school not to go to Farrer & Co, a catholic school not to ask Winckworth, or a Russell
group team not to think of Mills Reeve first. There, however, strong alternatives everywhere.
The choice of good suppliers to help with this uniquely complex area has never been wider or
better. The Shortlist strips away the industry barriers.
Editor
David R Johnston LLB MBA
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 5
The Help That’s On Offer
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 6
Everybody claims to be the best, the biggest, the fastest
growing, the leading, the go-to, the thought leader, the
this or the that. Some even are. The reality of
differentiation among suppliers boils down to the mix
and emphasis chosen in the service components
delivered below. Sometimes simply being the best brain
is enough (rarely now) and sometimes there is a killer
component to the ‘app’ (but not often or for long).
Sustaining differentiation relies on the choice and
emphasis suppliers give to the following services. There
is, in essence, no winning play here; but some mixes are
stronger than others over the long term.
The 4 P’s of risk are People, Property (&IP), and
Procurement. Suppliers who have services in
employment law and HR, safety and premises
management, and procurement and contracting are all
captured here.
Some cover all of the bases, some specialise in only one
sector, so the option to take a best-of-breed approach
or look for the one-stop-shop is there. Best of breed is
currently the preferred approach, using suppliers for
what they are best at, but retaining services on a longer
than 1 year horizon.
People Risks
Payroll and HR services have traditionally been a core LA
or central services function. Historically the complexities
of public sector payroll alone made this an especially
complex technical issue where economies of scale made
sense. Autonomy for schools and massive improvements
in flexibility and design of payroll systems means that
payroll complexity is no longer the barrier to entry it
once was.
HR advice services range from the legally qualified, case
hardened and industrial relations specialists, to the
simpler personnel and administrative support teams.
Increasingly you’ll find law firms offering HR and HR
consultancies offering legal advice, and all points in
between.
Compensation and benefits remains a fairly rare skill set,
and while job evaluation and pay comparability clearly
…simply being the
best brain is rarely
enough now – even in
law…
…choosing best of
breed suppliers is
increasingly the
preferred solution
now…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 7
matter, there are ‘good enough’ solutions to it at school
level now, as well as for more complex or higher priced
roles.
An analysis of the people risk components that suppliers
here highlight or lead with shows the following top ten
hierarchy (in order of frequency that firms lead with this
service component):
Documentation; contracts, letters and policies
Employment Law and HR Advice
Training & eLearning/LMS
Case management & investigations
Absence and attendance management
Dedicated employment law advisors/solicitors
Payroll support, software and bureau services
HR information systems
Health & safety
Recruitment and induction support
Each of these will be explored further below and the
nuances explained, but there is also a range of ancillary
and incidental services here. Ancillary ones are services
you have to expect to build in to the service at some
stage – they are necessary subordinates. Incidental
services are those, which are loosely associated, or a by-
product of the core competencies that you may be able
to tackle if you so choose.
Ancillary Services:
DBS and permit to work searching
Immigration and qualification checking
Occupational Health
Pensions
Compensation & benefits
Governor support services
Incidental Services:
Mediation
EAP/Employee Assistance Programmes
Job evaluation
IIP and quality certifications
Recruitment advertising and & management
Qualification training
…the Top Ten services
offered to help you
manage people
risks…
…non-core services
range from discrete
specialisms to
promotional add-
ons…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 8
Leadership development/organisational
development (OD)
Interims and secondments
Outplacement
The vast majority of law firms lead with employment law
and HR as their core appeal, rather than commercial law
or conversion specialisms. Almost half of the law firms
focused on education also now offer specific HR services
(as opposed to pure employment law support). A handful
already offer branded HR specific suites of services (a
trend more widely seen among employment lawyers
generally too). Case management remains their focus,
however, with HR and health & safety a distant third to
their dispute resolution competence in core services.
Lawyers fall broadly into 2 types – transaction lawyers
and litigators. Transaction focused law firms will be more
open to the transition to offering HR suites of service,
while litigation and major project focused teams will
typically not prioritise it (or pay lip service only).
Look for the teams who have a significant investment in
qualified people here. Often law firms will have only one
or two HR specialists employed, and equally sometimes
HR teams employ only one or two qualified lawyers.
Increasingly specialist teams are building ratios of 1:1
between solicitors and HR specialists and this is a
significant investment on their part on ‘critical mass’ to
cover all the bases.
The Core Services
Documentation
All suppliers cover documentation to some degree from
statements of terms to contracts and policies/
procedures to settlement agreements. The issue is the
breadth or depth of the documentation, ie to what
extent it is genuinely Burgundy or Green book compliant
as well as specific to the increasing types of educational
establishment and their particular constraints.
…most law firms now
prioritise
employment law
issues for the
education sector…
…test both quality
and quantity when
looking at a suppliers’
database of
documents – less is
often more…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 9
It is not enough to simply tweak some generalist
employment or HR boilerplate contracts and policies.
Documentation, and good appropriate documentation is
now a cost of market entry.
The days when offering some free documents was a
mechanism for generating leads and prospects are long
gone. Suppliers must demonstrate their skill levels here,
not expect free templates to generate business.
Entry Level Service here is establishing a credible
precedent bank which can cover the various types of
contract required, not just for teaching staff but all the
ancillary roles as well. Keeping these up to date and
synchronised with Staff Handbooks or variants of the
Burgundy and Green books is the bare minimum.
Level 2 Service incorporates these documents into a
DMS (document management system). This is not just a
precedent bank, but a mechanism for ensuring all staff
are compliant and that the headache of who’s on what
versions (versioning) is automated. It should also ensure
that exceptions and atypical working issues are identified
and managed. These databases are often off-site or
accessible through supplier web portals increasingly, as
Cloud and secure storage is readily cost effective now.
Level 3 Services take the DMS a stage further with
increased autonomy for the school managers to
automatically create compliant documents themselves.
Law firms are familiar with complex drafting tools such as
Business Integrity/Contract Express or Exari (which are
often a sledgehammer to crack a nut here), but solutions
from the likes of Software Europe and Eledecks are much
more relevant. Form automation is now a mature
software niche with leaders like HotDocs.
Level 4 Services make the DMS and the automation
context and end user specific. Training and automated
support is built in to the systems, whereas in many cases
clients are simply expected to pick up the phone with
earlier versions.
The sheer number of free document offerings, and
flooding the market with ‘good-enough’ solutions means
there is no viable future here for the big publishing
…tweaking some
boilerplate is no
longer enough –
expect more…
…there is no need for
the paper chase
anymore – expect
compliance support
to minimise the
headaches here…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 10
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 11
teams, which is a shame. Teams like Croner in the past
would have brought a level of editorial integrity that is
often now missing. Instead buyers have to reply on the
software underpinning here. The who, what, where,
when and why now trump the what, typically. Law firms
incorporate documentation, often now to level 2 or 3.
Many will be (or certainly should be) using document
automation software and you should ask them to
disclose and explain how it underpins their service. Some
buyers will even specify it. All serious consultancies are
already building level 3-4 offerings too, typically on
bespoke platforms. That these services are not often
readily visible simply reflects the fact that it is a core
service component for their service delivery. Increasingly
it will become what is termed ‘distributed’, ie available
for buyers to use on site. The game has moved on from
the quality of the documents now to the compliant
(auto-) generation, variation and storage of them with
context sensitive help.
Level 5 solutions here are not yet common, but include
the contract lifecycle management (CLM) techniques
now common in procurement compliance systems.
Capturing all of the contracts and automating their
compliance in procurement is commonplace in many
industries; it will come to school information
management systems (SIMS) too sooner or later.
HR & Employment Law Advice
Competition between law firms and governance, risk and
compliance (GRC) consultancies here typically focuses on
their claim to offer a nominated solicitor or advisor
service; ie you speak to the same person each time (and
they are, eg a qualified solicitor). The gradations of
service are subtle however, and while almost everyone
claims to offer the solicitor on-call facility, other ‘hygiene’
factors are often more important in reality.
It is not as simple as saying that a lower grade of adviser
or a more call-centre style approach is necessarily poor
quality. For some levels of advice and support that may
be the most appropriate option (and the most
appropriate cost).
…some buyers now
specify that suppliers
have to use
document
automation in their
service delivery…
…advisory quality
levels run from
‘talking book’ to
industry thought-
leaders – and all
points in between…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 12
Increasingly it is more important now to have a supplier
who’s internal client relations management (CRM)
systems are top notch, and that they ensure the advisor
can quickly call up details of the clients and their
matter(s), latest advice sought and given, emails and
supporting documents. In this context speaking to the
same advisor as last time can become less important,
especially if the matters is one which needs escalating in
any event.
A CIPD qualified HR advisor on an advice line 8am-6pm is
fairly standard throughout the year (not just term times).
You should certainly expect that that advisor will usually
have come from within the education systems in an HR
role, and so know the nuances well. Cover out of hours
will usually be by call referrals, but callbacks are typically
instantaneous (or very close to) for HR teams. Some law
firms will still run the 1-2 day call backs on non-retainer
funded enquiries, but increasingly their triage processes
are now same day or quicker (while they assess if you
have a case and that they can handle it). Among GRC
consultancies 24/7/365 advisory cover is now the norm,
while expectations are clearly different at different times
of day. GRC teams also operate an all-you-can-eat
approach to advice, ie you can call as often and for as
long as you like.
Law firms will typically start with newly to 3-year post
qualification experience solicitors on retainer work.
These staff often have solid project/case experience in
education but they are not yet ‘dedicated’ experts in this
field (ie they will also cover NHS, charity, property or
employment work). The lead partners and ‘rain-makers’
will often secure business, but quickly retreat to a
supervisory role delegating to their team, and the issues
here are typically the degree of specialisation within the
team, and the level of post qualification experience
typically retained. Larger teams will have more scope for
depth of specialisation, and it is increasingly rare
nowadays to find advisors managing both claimant and
respondent work.
The trend in buying legal services is to no longer expect
to be charged for the training of the legal staff, so buyers
can and should specify the caliber and qualifications of
…CRM systems can be
more important than
nominated advisors…
…The GRC business
model favours and
all-you-can-eat
approach to advice…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 13
the advisors they expect. Law firms are typically much
more candid about this than GRC consultancies, but do
ask; they should all be happy to show the level of
qualifications behind their service.
Law firms prefer a retainer approach, as their work is
usually project based, issue specific and sporadic.
Typically, these are batches of hours of their time paid
for in advance. GRC consultancies will prefer an annual
subscription, which encourages clients to use the service
as often as possible. Law firms typically use retainers to
lock out competitors, reduce the fear of big bills, and
effectively keep tabs on issues at an early stage. GRC and
HR teams typically want to pre-empt issues arising that
could escalate into a contentious matter at all. When
offering a genuinely fixed fee solution, law firms typically
fear being called too often on low-grade issues; GRC/HR
teams see it as a way of embedding reliance and upping
compliance. This is known as the ‘fence at the top of the
cliff – versus the ambulance at the bottom’ conundrum.
Law firms make great ambulances. GRC teams build great
fences.
There is much professional rivalry between lawyers and
non-lawyers. Solicitors often consider commercial
barristers, paralegals, legal executives and especially HR
consultants a lower level of competence. They typically
lead with their protected client privilege as a core client
benefit. Litigators and transaction lawyers also see each
other differently, as do those coming from commercial
finance, property or employment law specialisms. Hourly
fee rates will typically be higher for commercial finance
and property specialists, but the experience levels
(typically measured by 3/5/10+ years post qualification
experience) matters just as much.
For HR consultancies, the issue is what the quality of the
advisors’ experience was in their roles within HR teams.
Some will see non-education blue chip experience as a
key benefit to refresh the team; others will focus on the
levels of compliance specialism undertaken. Experience
in industrial relations negotiation and compensation and
benefits competencies are highly prized in the HR
industry. They are rare and valuable, albeit not the
aspects that many in HR aspire to (recruitment and
…retainers are often
simply mechanisms
for buying batches of
hours in advance…
…retainers are often
simply mechanisms
for buying batches of
hours in advance…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 14
organisational development are often more sought after
outside compliance circles). A good IR (industrial
relations) specialist can be worth more than a 5 or even
10 year+ qualified solicitor in some cases.
It is a key strength of the legal profession that a
commercial property lawyer one day can become a
chaity adviser the next. In education, and espcially in
employment law, these specialisation are becoming
increasingly complex. Buyers should again take care that
they are not paying for the re-training of a commercial
lawyer into this specialism. A three year specialist can be
worth a lot more thana 10 year qualified generlist.
‘Softer’ HR skills such as training, recruitment and
organisation development are a lower priority for HR
consultancies here, although many still offer leadership
and other ‘soft HR’ skills as a complementary service. HR
support on this basis is typically sold on an interim-style
approach, ie clients pay for 1 day a week/month. The
compliance services are typically fixed fee, however, and
offered on a genuine ‘all-you-can-eat’ basis.
There is no ‘killer application’ here. An optimal mix of
some heavyweight industrial relations experience, a
comp & ben specialist, some good litigators, commercial
transaction specialists and a balance of CIPD and solicitor
advisors takes time to build and sustain. Finding the
majority of these people from within the education
sector is tough too. But on balance this is the preferred
approach by School Heads and bursars. Buyers want the
contentious issues gone, not just managed, and it is a
management systems approach backed by these
competencies that delivers this best. There remains room
for some law firms to stay on their gladiatorial high
ground, and in brand protecting litigation (especially
around safeguarding issues) they remain the preferred
choice for obvious reasons.
Training & eLearning/LMS
Techniques for making a service ‘tangible’ or visible are
in short supply and most suppliers see supplying training
as one of the best routes. It comes in many guises,
however.
…buyers of legal
services typically no
longer expect to pay
for the training of
staff within law
firms…
…the trick is to
minimise the
occurrence of
compliance events,
not simply manage
them…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 15
The number and quality of training interventions offered
by all types of supplier here is vast and typically ‘good-
enough’. Compliance training is too small a market
nationally for trainers (other than one man bands) to
specialise in; especially so since virtually every other
supplier offers training as part of their service range in
some form. Some local individuals do excel here, but the
business of such enterprising individuals is typically very
reliant on the individual and the locality.
Entry level approaches are typically high level updates
delivered at the trainers premises. What to you is a ‘free’
or nominal fee update, for them is a promotional
opportunity. As a buyer you will get to sample the
professionalism of the suppliers and see if you can get on
with their front line people. It is rare for buyers to abuse
these promotional contacts with aggressive post event
sales chasing, but any buyer should be aware that they
are putting their hand up as a key sales prospect by
attending A few firms have refreshed this approach with
TEDx venues, etc, and it remains a stalwart more actively
pursued by law firms now than GRC teams. Increasingly
now promotional training events are being offered jointly
with affinity groups or other commercial partners.
The more sophisticated approaches to compliance
training seek to embed training within client services.
This can range from offering substantial discounts on
courses for in-house managers ranging from 10% to 25%
and 50% to bespoke programmes. Buyers here typically
have to decide what they are trying to achieve. Do you
want to tool-up your in-house compliance specialists, or
do you want to get awareness of risks trained in to non-
specialists. The expensive way to do this is the old
fashioned route of sending staff on generic managing
safely or HR soft skills training public courses. This relies
on them managing the transfer of learning, and it is often
more of a CV tick than a genuine improvement of
compliance during the day job. Look for teams who will
train key individuals on the key issues for your site(s) and
built it in to a holistic compliance management system. It
should be a part of your normal HR appraisal outputs,
but it is specialist and needs to be (your) context specific.
…face-to-face or
chalk-and-talk
training is on the
wane (and has been
for some time)…
…the importance of
training lies primarily
in its targeted
deployment within a
compliance
management
system…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 16
Delivery is increasingly dominated by eLearning in recent
years with permit-to-work style courses and quick
compliance event focused sessions proving the most
robust. Many Institutes and membership bodies have
developed their own suites now and offer both VC
enhancement and genuine compliance management
system deployment.
Timing can be more important than erudition here and
much of what is required, especially for non-compliance
professionals, is quite mundane. The provision of
appropriate targeted learning to avoid compliance events
is the key. Most standard learning management systems
get this wrong, as while personal ambitions and the
recording of who has been on trained on what by whom
and when matters, it is the compliance context that
suppliers here are now focusing on.
Be careful to know when the training is doing the
supplier more of a favour than you.
Case Management & Investigations
The aim should always be to not just get complaint, but
to stay compliant. Handling any given compliance event
(typically a dismissal or legal dispute) is only one instance
of this. Handling that is important, obviously, cost
effectively ensuring the incidence of it in the future drops
or is eliminated is the real goal.
The management system is the key, and both solicitor-
led and GRC based teams get this. Increasingly law firms
are partnering with HR consultancy teams, spawning
their own or occasionally breaking away to deliver a
hybrid approach. Buyers now need to ensure the
technology underpinning the supplier’s service is good
enough.
All GRC teams will have recording and client relations
management(CRM) systems which track the advice
required and given; most solicitors will too, although law
firms tend to focus more on case management systems
rather than advice recording. Good suppliers cover both
and should be very happy to explain what their systems
cover and how.
…be careful to know
when training is
doing the supplier
more of a favour than
you…
…the aim is not just
to get compliant, but
to stay compliant…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 17
Law firms now expect to have case management systems
specified as part of their service engagement, although
this is still quite rare with HR consultancies. GRC teams
with a legal expenses insurance background will have
these support systems in place too. Buyers can and
should specify them increasingly, with SIMS, document
and case management systems integration becoming
increasingly important.
The point is that these issues drive cost effectiveness and
speak directly to price. Buyers can reasonably expect
lower prices to be underpinned by such systems as they
remove waste and inconsistencies in the suppliers’
systems.
There are no ‘bad’ advisers here, but there can be
capacity and focus issues. Buyers will be worried that
advisers who are not exclusively focused on employment
law issues in schools are sufficiently up to speed
nowadays, every bit as much as they will worry about the
ability of a generalist HR team to cover the legal bases.
Independence and professionalism in investigations can
be a key point in retaining external advisors. It is a
genuine skill, and increasingly also an industry specialist
one. Backed by a compliance management system
approach it can make the likelihood of cases settling
much higher. Buyers should not just focus on COT3s or
settlement agreement prices, but explore this
competence in some detail. The price for compromise or
settlement agreements can be a barometer, but it can
also be very misleading where firms use it as a loss
leader.
Law firms with a ‘gladiatorial’ focus will over-engineer
compliance services typically. Some of the smarter ones
actually partner with GRC teams fully recognising this
and playing to their respective strengths. The winning
solution is the one that ensures the compliance
management procedures and systems in place mean the
future incidence of these issues is reduced, while
simultaneously making the evidence gathering process
quick and reliable.
…case management
is now a heavily
systematized process
– good suppliers will
be happy to show you
under the bonnet…
…look below headline
pricing issues such as
compromise
agreements,
especially where they
are offered as loss
leaders…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 18
Absence and Attendance Management
Absence is an issue compliance suppliers focus on as it is
often a precursor to employee relations issues arising. It
is potentially a very quick win for many consultancies
focused on ways to reduce the incidence of compliance
events, as there are solutions here which touch on HR,
safety and occupational health (OH).
A well established outsourcing approach is to offer an
externally managed calling point for absentees to use,
ensuring that honesty is introduced to the process. This
often reduces the incidence of ‘sickies’ in and of itself.
Some will offer nurse-led call centres to handle volume
here rather than simply HR call centre staff, and some
will have processes in place for intelligent escalation of
medical issues too.
These outsourcing services automatically notify (by text
or email) the staff involved in filling the gaps. Levels of
service here are typically technology enabled.
Compliance management systems will deliver good
management information with pattern recognition and
cost evaluation to identify where different levels of
remedial action are required (the Bradford Factor).
Some teams in the HR sector already have relationships
with full occupational health teams with case
management and return to work/fit for work programs in
place. The focus of a busy school, for example, is often on
the logistical headache of cover and supply teachers,
while the compliance back-ups can deal with the causes
of the problems and the options available.
Recent changes to NHS fit for work services have some
impact here, but there is a case still for especially senior
staff being managed back to work pro-actively. This is a
specific type of OH competence however, which is not a
core part of the competitive landscape here yet. (See
ancillary services below.)
Dedicated Employment Law Advisors/Solicitors
The days when the main fear in choosing an external
supplier was they’d simply prove to be a bucket shop
who sell well and don’t deliver are long gone. The access
to your own solicitor pitch is effectively an account
…professionally
handling ‘sickies’ can
reduce the incidence
of it quickly…
…professional
occupational health
back-up is an
increasingly valuable
facility…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 19
management guarantee and virtually all suppliers here
can and do offer it.
If anything now the law firms have to prove that you are
not going to get passed from pillar to post and deal with
someone who didn’t know your last case, while traded
services teams are more likely to be perceived (unfairly
often) as call centre approaches. Law firms are typically
better than accountancy practices, for example, in
service delivery by the second tier or ‘back-office), but do
ask who will be the real advisors should you proceed.
The ability to track and record every client interaction is
in reality a technology solution which GRC suppliers are
often very good at now. The issue has in reality moved
on. The systems, which track the call and advice given,
should now be able to deliver audit trails and evidential
records to court standards at the press of a button.
Typically when suppliers are saying you will have access
to adviser X or solicitor Y they are trying to deal with your
concerns that (a) you don’t have to keep re-explaining
issues, and (b) your talking to people of the right level
(not either overqualified and especially not
underqualified). The issue now is all about escalation. All
of the good teams will aim to ensure you do get through
to the named (1,2 or 3) advisors you know of, but they
are focused now on intelligent escalation. This means
their systems must show them the background to any
calls or cases; extant advice and documentation;
timescales. If they have this, the named advisor issue is
less important, but do ask them how they escalate
matters and what the IT back-up is.
Payroll Support
Pay scales, grades and increments can be very
complicated in education, but this Gordian knot has been
cut with increasing autonomy options. It is no surprise
that one of the key market leaders here came from a
payroll technology group background, as this is a classic
example of the technology catching up with an industry
requirement.
…solicitors make
much of the client
privilege issue; for
litigators it matters;
for transactional
issues it is less
important…
…payroll is no longer
the industrial scale
processing
technology issue it
used to be…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 20
Good-enough payroll solutions are now plentiful for the
growing band of autonomous schools and colleges. The
choice to manage it internally as a core competence
tends to only have one repercussion. Just as HR people
tend to underestimate the scope of safety services,
payroll people tend to underestimate HR compliance
nuances. They are happy to partner instead with law
firms and these partnerships seem to work well.
Services here need not also be comprehensive and in
many cases schools identify and sub-contract only their
atypical payrolls. Peripatetics, locums, hourly and
seasonal staff can be outsourced, and co-incidentally
these are the areas where often the largest avoidable
risks lie. Some HR teams run full payroll outsourcing
teams, some bureau work only, and owning the payroll
software competence is not a core requirement.
Making the records, payment and accuracy issues are at
the heart of the matter. Basic systems here often
outsource payroll to a bureau on a self- or fully managed
basis, and this was often the heart of the central LEA
service in reality. In an ‘apps’ world the expectation that
an HRIS or administration system can be all things to all
men is disappearing, and now applications that genuinely
‘talk’ to each other are becoming the norm. Potentially
in 2020 the Blockchain technology will make this
distributed ledger approach a reality (but timings are still
very fluid here).
It is entirely possible now to run a compliance
management system approach alongside a separate
payroll system or bureau. Most law firms and HR or GRC
teams will be able to link in to Sage, IRIS, Intuit or other
main brand payroll systems. They will happily run
alongside bureau offerings too. The issue to need to
focus on is to what extent they can extract or link data
there to their case management or compliance activities.
HR Information Systems
Do not confuse an HR administration system with a
compliance management system. HR administration
software delivers the former and the developers of them
are good at it. They will even have modules called case
management or employee relations, but these are not
…payroll people tend
to underestimate
employee relations
complexities just as
HR people tend to
underestimate safety
ones…
…technology linking
and intelligent
escalation are the key
issues to focus on…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 21
compliance management systems. HR software teams,
even ones with integrated payroll rarely have the legal
expertise behind these systems to keep them up to date
with the legal changes and when they have looked at
legal systems design they have typically again not been
willing or able to keep up to date with changes in it. The
two differ significantly and while no one wants to be
running multiple systems, which may or may not co-
operate trying to simply bolt on legal systems is usually a
world of pain. A compliance management system can
and should share data with a SIMS or any other payroll,
asset management, LMS, DMS or safety management
system. Its function is to ensure compliance and typically
covers people, property and asset risks seamlessly.
Early compliance management systems here were often
simply dairy management based ones via a client portal
with the free document templates alongside. Version 2
systems added risk assessments, more documents and
some eLearning for good measure. Version 3 was in
some cases a full HR administration system as well,
usually over-engineered and rarely plugged in. Version 4
is the cloud based, smart phone integrated system with
apps for absence, payroll, holidays, EAP benefits,
appraisals, etc all built in and proactively managing
compliance events (and risks) at an individual level. Not
many are there yet, but the days when these cost
millions to develop are long gone. Expect suppliers to be
able to offer full HR administration systems through a
partner now if need be, but frankly for most smaller sites
payroll bureau and compliance issues are the key risks
and much of the fuller enterprise or HR management
systems functionality will be unused.
Law firms and ex-LA teams will be familiar more with
case management and document management systems.
Teams like IKEN demonstrate how far business process
management software developers have taken even local
authority based solutions. Initially focused on tracking
time & billing systems, these legal sector specialists all
included powerful case and matter management systems
now alongside the email and document management
systems. Good ones increasingly offer client visibility too
on a real time basis. If the law firm suppliers are not keen
…do not confuse HR
admin or enterprise
management systems
with compliance
management ones…
…mobile friendly
systems are already
becoming the norm…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 22
to show you how these systems underpin what they do,
ask why. Some buyers even specify a shortlist of key
software suppliers here. Look out for names such as
Eclipse, Iken, Peppermint, among others. Law firm shave
no shortage of very solid software support. You should
be the beneficiary of it in reduced time, increased
efficiency and support.
Suppliers who have no such systems on offer are now
looking more like the farriers than the cars of the future.
Deployment of technology is no longer a mechanism for
charging a premium. It is a mechanism for delivering
consistent quality at lower prices.
Health & Safety
The entry-level health & safety service is one that covers
slips, trips and accidents support, basic risk assessment
practices and the reporting formalities that come with
these. The range of specialist risks beyond that, however,
are legion, and while the above come as standard for
most GRC service offerings and some law firms too now,
there are a whole range of specialist safety risks which
fall under the Property risk category below.
Covering anything other than basic fire safety is a
specialist property risk (doors, alerts systems, design,
testing, etc), catering and food safety is an occupational
hygiene specialism and an industry in its own right, as are
asbestos and construction safety issues.
School safety requires specialist understanding of the
nature of the building legacy (and asbestos usually rears
its ugly head), while security, vacant premises and
oddities such as chemical storage and explosives can all
crop up. It is important for suppliers not to over promise
here. While they like to squeeze as many specialisms into
their van as they can, in reality few do more than 2 or 3
core services well.
First base is covering the basic avoidable ‘slips, trips and
accidents’. Experience with playgrounds, recreation fields
and the machinery and practices around maintaining and
enjoying them is now established well, so look for
suppliers with genuine credibility here. As with the
documentation and advisory issues above, the skill sets
…tech delivers lower
prices and service
consistency – don’t
fall for the ‘premium’
investment
arguments every
time…
…start with the
simple slips, trips and
accidents avoidance
work to remove the
biggest source of
wasted management
time…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 23
here are IoSHH and NEBOSH based. While environmental
issues are high profile, they are relatively low impact
compared to the much more mundane safety issues of
fire safety, food safety and Riddor reporting.
Law firms are typically behind the pace here, as are pure
HR consultancies and the myriad of safety specialists still
lead in service depth and delivery. Automated risk
assessments, diary based compliance management
systems here are commonplace now, and as with DMS
and CMS approaches, suppliers you should increasingly
expect them to prove their competence now in
technology driven management systems here.
Some people outsource highly complex compliance
issues because they cannot afford it in-house and it is
non-core to their business. More often firms outsource
routine or mundane risks (ie simple slips, trips and
accident risk/cover) as it is not worth covering
professionally in house. In schools, issues such as, eg
grounds maintenance can be low priority and readily
covered by outsourcers, while some esoteric chemical or
food safety risk have to be managed in-house. The choice
is yours.
The latest safety systems are increasingly focused on
both qualification and certification approaches.
Professional procurement is highly developed in this
sector now and for schools as any other area, buyers can
and should specify the levels of service support in ever
more detail. A key service of the frameworks was to
marshal this paper chase of qualifications among
suppliers and remove some of the administration burden
here. A best of breed approach in safety especially means
many will not volunteer for these buying approaches,
seeing them as price sensitive and costly processes. It is a
challenge for the frameworks, but if you can, go direct to
find best of breed suppliers here. They are typically not
linked to law firms, HR or GRC teams, although many GRC
teams now manage their own safety specialists in house
quite well.
Recruitment and Induction Support
The compliance aspects of recruitment are rarely well
covered by recruitment agencies and external firms
…the government
register of safety
practitioners is not
much use as a
qualitative approach
to assessing how
good safety
specialists are…
…safety services very
quickly get very
specialist – adopt a
best of breed
approach…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 24
focused on finding the individuals on commissions.
Permits to work, immigration, DBS, pre-employment
medicals, safeguarding and qualification compatibility
checks are all now increasingly common, however, and
HR and GRC teams especially are now building this is to
their service range well.
Ensuring induction and issues such as pre-employment
medicals are covered properly is the usual first step. See
below under ancillary services for the rest. The trend is
very much towards integrating more of these services
into core packages however, but there are (albeit
modest) cost barriers to doing so.
Ancillary Services DBS and permit to work searching are increasingly
commoditised services and being an umbrella body for
criminal records searching, for example, is now quite
common among GRC teams. Covering this again for
atypical staff and contracts is common too, and it works
best when backed with the compliance management
systems traffic lighting compliance status. Some firms will
offer batched low price bundles for DBS searches if you
ask.
Immigration and qualification checking is likely to
become a higher profile issue in the coming years. In
most cases this is not an in-house specialism but an
outsourced one for the suppliers. Most law firms will
have access to immigration specialists in house, but
increasingly GRC teams are also developing this.
Occupational Health is a massive field in its own right and
the key issues here of return to work and long-term
sickness case management are again usually soured
through best of breed partners. Schools will not typically
have a preference here and will value referred or vetted
partners.
Pensions have been a high profile issue for some time
now and there are especial constraints applicable here
where competence in the National LGPS technicalities
…not many
recruitment agencies
do compliance that
well – use the
specialists to support
the recruitment
process…
…occupational health
is a technical area
undergoing much
change currently;
look for best of breed
partners…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 25
are a pre-condition. Competence in this sector is assured
through a national procurement framework.
Compensation & benefits generally are often managed as
a special partner consultancy and this technical
specialism within HR is now both rare and expensive
typically. The benchmarks relevant to discrimination
issues are vital, but running a credible database internally
is rare.
Employee assistance programs and additional benefits
offered to staff are also typically best offered through
insurance-based specialist partners. This is typically a
very price sensitive area where the usual insurance
procurement skepticism should apply.
Governor support services are increasingly available, not
just from traded services or ex-LEA teams now. The logic
behind using this channel to demonstrate compliance
competence is obvious and teams like Browne Jacobson
have built the relationship with the NGA accordingly.
Clerking services require an ability to be on-site
regionally and at odd hours cost effectively, but there is
much more than can be offered as Judicium’s Governor
Advisory Service or The Key’s School Governors service
demonstrates. Historically only LEA teams were able to
do this, and some of the independents here have used
this well in their client prospecting. For now, this is a
service offering packaged by some premium players but
it could well become a more important service area for
all serious suppliers going forward and a core service
barrier to market entry as it requires credible local
presences nationwide.
…competition among
leading suppliers is
now increasingly
looking at ways of
managing governor
support…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 26
Property (& Intellectual Property) Risks
For law firms the number of firms citing employment law
as a key competence is very closely followed by their
claims to expertise in property law. In particular public
sector property finance and PFI/ PPP/PF2/BSF expertise
is top of the list, but also construction, major projects
and all other aspects of property from sub-letting school
property to further education student accommodation
projects.
Law firms are the clear leaders here and are likely to
remain largely unchallenged on these core major projects
by any except the larger accountancy firms migrating into
legal services. The rivalry here currently comes from
other law firms with Third Sector or Public Sector
expertise seeking to diversify, and there is no shortage of
those. Accordingly, the pressure on these property teams
to embed themselves further with this sector is high and
likely to grow. This is good for buyers as not only is the
frequency of major project dropping but the eagerness of
law firms to compete for them is rising.
The majority of the remaining services related to
property risks fall under the category of Health & Safety
and Environment. The ‘4th P’ of ‘Intellectual Property’ is
important too, but very much a particular legal
specialism. ICT and computer risk issues generally are a
major concern for all schools and some of the GRC teams
actively cover both of these risk areas. In particular some
safety and GRC teams are looking already at ways of
incorporating data security support services. When
buying these services be sure to ask not just for
guarantees that the services will not in any sense
jeopardise the security of the establishment, but see
what other services are in development here.
Where GRC teams compete with law firms here, they do
so on packaged solutions for:
Health & Safety & Health and safety IT
ICT Support
SIMS Support
Attendance/Security Issues
…law firms are
chasing fewer major
projects and fighting
harder to get them…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 27
Construction/CDM
Web and CRM
Health & Safety and HSE Technology
The market for safety software systems is well developed
in the UK and currently undergoing something of a
bubble in demand terms. Essentially compliance
modules for enterprise software systems, the core diary
management functions are driven by asset registers and
risk assessment milestones.
Document management systems and automated risk
assessment and audit facilities are typical, with bespoke
reporting and management information alerting often
now in real time. Seamless regulator reporting for
compliance events is taken for granted now, and a heavy
document and eLearning base is commonplace.
Special school risks around asbestos are well known and
this is a competence few generalist safety teams will
have (or want). Partnering here is common and a good
choice of partners exists with school experience in place.
Food safety is another specialist sector and an industry in
its own right heavily controlled through procurement
frameworks and institutional certifications. Developing
these levels of certification competence organically takes
a long time, and again good partners are available.
Watch out for some real niche specialisms
which will be required in many cases,
notably working at height regulation
compliance, WEEE regulations, CoSHH,
powered perimeter gates, etc. There is established
support here to a significant degree already and guidance
from CLEAPSS explains the areas involved in some detail.
The majority of ICT risks are dealt with more than
adequately by the wide range of school IT specialist
support teams. Overlaps with RSI and DSE regulations are
easily accommodated in most HSIT systems. Where GRC
support overlaps it typically does so in integration of
eLearning and LMS systems and integration of asset
management or payroll systems with compliance
systems.
…safety teams still
hinge around an on-
site assessment
capability…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 28
As with HR and employment law, construction issues
range from the brand threatening big ticket projects to
the mundane and the routine. CDM issues arise on a
regular basis and are typically better dealt with by GRC
support teams than law firms.
High profile efforts to help schools with web pages and
brand identity come around on a regular basis. There is
clearly a demand for this, but it is rarely sustained for
long. Teams such as 3BM lead here, but the link to
supporting other compliance led efforts is typically
tenuous, and it tends to work better as an extra string to
the bow of a lively development team rather than a core
service for compliance.
Procurement Risks
Competition here is typically between accountancy firms,
financial software teams and law firms, usually along
fairly traditional lines for these industry boundaries.
Since the school business manager role migrated away
from its traditional bursar core, however, a wider range
of services have been offered and supported by the
education sector.
For law firms, the key services here are advice on
contracts and procurement, and they have practically
cornered the market in legal services frameworks for
supplying advice and services to local government buyers
and public sector certified sources. There are as yet very
few GRC frameworks where the service specifications
range beyond the reserved specialisms of law firms, but
we expect this to change progressively, or for private
sector certifications to increasingly come in to play here
as they do in other markets.
Law firms also embed their services here with the project
work on corporate status and transitions into different
statuses. This is the overlap with the Third and Voluntary
sector expertise which historically has been theirs alone.
To what extent accountancy firms’ legal teams will seek
to migrate into this specific sector remains to be seen,
however. Accountancy practices largely treat schools as
they do any other industry and it is more from software
teams such as HCSS that innovation is being driven here.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 29
Well over half of the GRC teams who do corporate law
and procurement advice do offer, for example, academy
conversion project management, while they also offer
financial support and even budgetary and audit support
for bursars on financial issues. This is a lucrative sector in
its own right, albeit significantly smaller on an ongoing
basis than the HR or Property risks sectors.
Frameworks
While the maintained sector diminishes progressively,
the need for Frameworks in procurement could be
expected to diminish, but we feel this is unlikely. First,
the next few years should see frameworks expand to
cover more than ‘legal services’ or HR consultancy’
narrowly defined, but expand to include GRC support
services. Secondly, while the public sector beneficiaries
of these frameworks see savings in pricing and processes,
the informal certification or approval of suppliers that
these frameworks confer will still have relevance to both
maintained and autonomous schools and colleges.
Thirdly, the private sector is no stranger to certification
processes which enhance tendering processes and
supplier qualification. Such schemes may arise of their
own accord; or existing private sector teams may move
in to support the autonomous heads. This service is
designed to facilitate that very process.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 30
Summary
You cannot buy barristers like biros, or solicitors like
stationery. It really isn’t all about price either. You have
to differentiate between making stress purchases on high
profile issues and projects and establishing long term
partnerships on often quite mundane and routine issues.
Hammer down prices on advice lines, for example, and
you’ll get talking book level service, when you might
need more. Equally skimp on litigation support and you
may pay twice elsewhere.
The key to buying compliance partners is to treat it like a
recruitment experience, not a supermarket one. Find the
skill levels you are comfortable with and pay the best you
can afford for a tightly specified service level.
Pricing
Fixed fees and retainers. Everyone in legal services is
talking about fixed fee work and offering price certainty
and budget ease for buyers. In reality many law firms are
still simply batching hours and offering up-front
payment. Knowing when an issue escalates is the key
thing, ie when the more expensive ‘clocks’ kick in.
Many HR consultancies, HR teams within law firms and
all of the regulatory consultancies offer genuine ‘all-you-
can-eat’ arrangement whereby you will still have access
to solicitors and qualified HR staff, but they are backing
this with the implementation of a compliance
management system and accordingly back this up with a
promise that you can call as often as you like for as long
as you like. This is the closest model to the old in-house
or central services model, but it is usually backed by a
legal expenses insurance approach rather than a regional
focus. The insurance backing is usually run as a captive
element of the service and the escalation discussion here
are all around the issue of the likelihood of success at a
hearing and the closeness with which any advice was
sought or followed.
The key distinction is the management systems
approach, however, not the ability of a firm to simply
…treat compliance
and legal
procurement like a
recruitment, not a
supermarket
shopping exercise…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 31
offer refreshed or bespoke documentation. Especially in
safety services this is key. The suppliers will be genuinely
able to offer you reduced prices if you are prepared to
meet them half way and fix the procedures and policies
you deploy.
Retainers: Pricing by law firms is typically on a batched
hourly rate, and the stronger brands will be pitching at
the £200 per hour level or more. Packages will usually
seek to open at the £200 per month as a minimum and
are more usually £5-6k pa for established law firm
brands. Case management will be in addition to this, and
at the higher prices you can expect 3-4 on-site
consultations or training events as a minimum included
in the package. Most firms enhance packages with 10-
20% discounts on hourly rates for major work and
elective training. HR consultancies will open with rates
from £70 per hour, but can and do overlap with the law
firms to a significant degree.
The RPA: The Risk Protection Arrangement run by the
DfE for Academy Trusts currently works at a benchmark
rate of £20 per pupil per year to deliver insurance cover
from Willis (and a claims handling company). Essentially
this insurance is deducted automatically from the general
annual grant by the EFA. Cover is provided on a claims
occurring basis (ie you can claim outside a covered year if
the incident arose during cover), but this is essentially a
pure insurance product. It relies on academies having
put a compliance management system in place. The
terms are here. The legal expenses cover at £20 per pupil
is a hidden but significant cost of this to even quite
modest schools in now significant. Over 7% of academies
opt out and at these rates we suspect more will.
We analysed the ex-traded services teams in
Hertfordshire, Newham and Manchester to test this £20
benchmark. In those regions the full cost of services
offered from payroll, training, employee relations, HR
support, learning and curricular support and more came
to between £102 to £131 per pupil per year (inner cities
are more costly). In this context the safety and legal
expenses cover under the RPA appears costly. We advise
bursars and head to start with the £20 per pupil cost
…don’t confuse
batched hours
retainers with
genuine fixed fee
agreements…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 32
level and see which suppliers can offer you the biggest
savings in delivering compliance service support.
Regulatory Consultancies: these firms and their HR
consulting sister companies typically charge on a
percentage of payroll basis. Entry level fees for a site per
year often start at around £1200-1800 pa, but escalate
according to the size of the payroll. Some flex this also by
the number of locations (common in safety services) and
the number of ‘heads’ or a mechanism to reflect the
number of atypical workers. Some firms will charge more
in year one than year 2 or 3 and some will seek to tie you
in for 5 years or more. There is no need for this. Safety
service suppliers rarely if ever seek to tie you in to long
contracts, and it is becoming less common now for the
long tie in contracts to be required even among
regulatory consultancies. Many do expect automatic
renewal procedures to apply, however, on shorter
contract periods. Annual contracting is now common for
both employment and safety services.
For a small school of say 100 pupils, the RPA will be
costing the school £2k pa. This will typically be a small
single site with c8 staff. Regulatory consultancies will
open their pricing for an establishing of this size at a
similar price point, but you will get higher quality
advisers available 24/7, better bespoke documentation
and a typically on-line management system, dedicated
professional support, and often the employment and
safety cover integrated as well. It is not hard to see why
even at this level the regulatory consultancies are making
strong progress now. It is forcing the law firms to adopt
similar approaches, often with in-house HR teams
operating on similar bases, and increasingly even now
also offering HR software packages in support also.
At higher price points, the case becomes even more
compelling. At £1m school payroll levels, the RPA cost is
probably north of £7.5k while regulatory consultancy
pricing will open at£5.6-5.8k (and be negotiable
downwards from there depending on complexity,
number of sites etc. Shop around.
…there are clear
examples of
opportunities to both
improve quality of
service and reduce
price…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 33
Market Profile & Positioning
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 34
The Rating System
The NED rating system is quite simply a distillation of the financial due
diligence buyers of legal and GRC services use. It is not a credit rating
system; those cannot show you market positioning and competitive intensity
(just old profitability histories). It is not a peer ranking system, as frankly
there are no bad suppliers in this market, and how firms differ in what they
do and how they do it is much more important than how close they are to
their peers nowadays. It is not a simple directory or listing, as we analyse
decades of financial and operational data on every supplier. It’s not secret,
but it is clever. We aim to track what firms do, not just what they say they
do. It is also live and dynamic; we track this data long term backwards and
project performance forward for 3-5 years as well. It is the peace of mind
you need when choosing a partner for a long-term commercial relationship,
based on sound economic evidence and independent expert assessments.
Disruptive Innovation
Suppliers now come from a wide range of industries. Increasingly they can
and do offer a wide range of overlapping (and substitutable) services.
Disruptive innovation typically comes from adjacent or different industries.
Law firms know how to compete with law firms, LEA teams know how to
compete with breakaway ones, and GRC consultancies know how to
compete with insurers, software and other teams as well. Here we have
software application developers empowering established industry insiders,
entrepreneurial ex-bursars and Heads innovating, law firms migrating from
project to sector specialisms, consultancies and advisory teams specialising
in GRC solutions, trainers, recruiters, and safety specialists.
The Challenge
It is not as simple as saying that one part of the education compliance
industry is dying or outmoded and the new energy from disruptors inevitably
will win out. Harvard’s Professor Christensen identifies a conundrum,
however, that very often the people (and more usually the culture,
leadership and the paradigms) involved are uniquely ill equipped to manage
the innovations required to survive. Public sector compliance teams and
their long-standing law firm ‘long stops’ are undoubtedly being disrupted
here. For the law firms, the comfort factors of some large project work mean
many of the biggest firms simply don’t feel any urgency to diversify. It is a
big leap for an LEA advisory team to make a success of traded services, let
alone go independent. In doing so they typically also have to take the
pension liabilities with them (which can be very significant). To transform a
public sector team while carrying the legacy of the decades of public sector
management takes leadership of a special quality and persistence.
…frankly, there
are no bad
suppliers in this
market…
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 35
Apples and Pears
So yes, it is comparing apples and pears to some extent in choosing ‘overall
winners’ here. Some will always prefer industry insiders; others will rely only
on law firm brands; some (indeed many here) will actively seek out fresh
providers. We remove the industry prejudices here, however and look at
commercial factors.
Key Factors
Buyers typically prize the following factors and we have applied the same
attributes of each to every supplier, be they a law firm, a software house, or
a consultancy.
Critical Mass: A proven scale helps. The threshold is lower than you might
think, but having £2-5m of business in a sector shows commitment and
capability. It would be wrong to dismiss firms smaller than this, especially in
some specialised niches, however, so we balance this with ‘focus’ too below.
A £100m law firm with a £1m team trying to cover all the bases may not be
as good a bet as a £1m boutique consultancy, which does that one thing
brilliantly.
Focus: Many can dabble, few genuinely specialise, and being a small after
thought or ‘partner’s pet’ is very different from being a core business line.
Buyers want to know that a supplier is committed to investing in their
education services, and that ideally it will be top of the list for their
developments next year and the year after too. One of the strengths of a
lawyer is their ability to diversify; here it can be a drawback, and at a firm
level, a positive disadvantage over the medium term. The distinguishing
characteristic of the 40 GRC consultancies is that most genuinely specialise
here, whereas of the 80 law firms only a handful could say that education is
a core constituent of their brand (although more will do so, we believe). It
matters; you want to know that they’re going to stay the course.
Growth: Growth long term (compound annual growth rates over longer than
one business cycle) usually confirms that a team is doing something that
clients genuinely value and want. Taking more than a 1-3-year perspective is
important.
Profitability: Doing the right thing for the right people at the right cost are
important. While some teams will deliberately ‘invest’, ie lose money on
start-up or repositioning, in this market that is rare and not economically
mandated. Market leaders will be more profitable than followers, but as
explained above, adjusting law firm profitability for partners ‘drawings’ is
required to compare these firms with their commercial equivalents. Law
firms are typically not inherently that much more profitable than compliance
specialists any more.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 36
Net New Sales: A firm’s capacity to accommodate new business matters.
No-one wants to over-extend a firm, and often firms ‘step’ this growth over
time as they staff up to anticipate it (rather than struggle to accommodate
it). CAGR (compound annual growth rates) tells you that a firm can handle
this long term; NNS (net new sales pa) tells you by how much.
Investment Capacity: The ability of a firm to invest in the future of the
business and this industry in particular is key. This is a function of
profitability and focus, but is probably the most important capability buyers
seeking long-term relationships will look for. It’s not just ‘big is beautiful’,
however; targeting spend matters more.
Project Capacity: For some the requirement is simply to manage a major
project, which may or may not have a long tail. The ability to call in a
sizeable team of specialists is historically the capability which law firms have
been best known for, but it is important to see it as only one of a set of
capabilities. For some projects only full service law firms will have the
necessary scope and depth. It gives law firms a unique appeal; but it is also
no longer the dominant characteristic when clients are seeking a long-term
partner. Some law firms are very comfortable with this, preferring to stay on
the project scale business model. This explains why firms such as Clifford
Chance, Allen & Overy, Linklaters, Freshfields, and Norton Rose can
undoubtedly pull a team together to tackle an education sector project if
needs must; it’s just that they seem to have bigger fish to fry elsewhere.
VFM: Last but never least is ‘value for money’. An indicative measure here is
sales per employee (SPE), the only readily available cross-industry
operational metric. In disruptive competition, however, it is a price/margin
indicator for suppliers and a key decision point for buyers. Value is elastic;
the lowest price is not always the best ‘value’ and in choosing lawyers, for
example, when it comes to brand critical litigation, high hourly rates can be
reassuringly expensive. Thankfully now the VFM metric no longer means
always taking the lowest quote, or even justifying why the lowest price is not
where you start. In service procurement it is never that simple. It is a
misconception that sales per employee rates for law firms, for example, are
much higher than normal commercial firms. In industry terms the highest
SPE ratios usually come major enterprise software firms, not consultancies.
Here, firms investing in service development and migrating away from the
old law firm models will demonstrate the same benchmarks as the
equivalent GRC consultancies. SPE ranges from £75-100k may seem modest
to some, but are normal here.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 37
The Top Education Specialists: 5 Star Firms The top firms here are major businesses with well over £5-
10m+ in sales in education services. These are teams of 100+
employee businesses or divisions who spend all of their time
100% on education projects and client support. Not to be
confused with teams who can tackle major transformation
projects, many of them multi-million pounds in scope, these
team grow through repeat business. Ten years ago this would
have been a list of law firms. Now the top rank is all specialists
from software, HR, finance and ex-LEA backgrounds. This trend
is notable and accelerating currently, although it would be
wrong to assume law firms are simply losing out. The most
engaged law firms are typically focusing on key high value
niches or competing head to head with the GRC teams
increasingly, although very few choose to do both. It is notable
also that the lion’s share of work now comes from schools, not
FE and HE colleges. That is still dominated by the law firms and
the public sector procurement frameworks, but has simply
been outstripped in terms of value by the newly autonomous
school budget holders and their spend on legal risk
management and compliance.
A strategic shift in procurement is clearly to favour a best of
breed approach. The newly independent purses like a wide
service range, but plainly prefer depth in core service
competencies, typically payroll, HR, finance and ICT. Legal
competence has always been highly prized and will continue to
be so, but it is no longer as highly prized as these GRC
specialisms. Where the GRC teams can incorporate aspects of
the legal service competencies, they are warmly encouraged to
do so, typically. Law firms can and do react well to this, but
there remains some cynicism that they can offer the GRC
services as cost effectively as the specialists do. In many cases
this cynicism is unjustified. The acid test is the degree of
autonomy the law firm allows its GRC and HR teams, as where
this is low the pricing and commercial approach is likely to be
compromised. Law firms have won a battle they did not care to
win, and won it handsomely; namely the provision of legal and
regulatory content to school leaders is comprehensively
covered by them. They now regularly package such efforts, but
these are still some way short of the full GRC services that are
winning the day. This will change.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 38
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 39
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 40
The Firms
Strictly Education (ESS)
Strictly Education can justifiably claim leadership in the
market and they have diversified from a payroll core with
a range of financial support services very effectively.
Covering all the bases of GRC support including HR,
finance, ICT, facilities and property support, there is
typically an informational solution initially with software
and services added as investment timings allow.
Formerly part of a VC led HR software agglomeration,
they are now independent following an mbo and in a
position to stretch their lead if they so choose.
Able to partner with some of the premium brands in legal
service specialisms such as Winckworth, they have no
pretensions to cover the top legal competencies, but
span most aspects of the governance risk and compliance
ones. Now bigger than the largest of the independent ex-
LEA teams, they currently have the strongest vote of
confidence from buyers in the market in that they top
the charts in both investment capacity and net new sales
growth delivered.
Coming from a payroll group background they are a value
for money proposition essentially, and in that sense they
complement the premium niche legal brands well, and
rarely offer substitutable services to them. A dedicated
services team hitherto semi-autonomous within an ill-
fated HR software agglomeration, we expect them to
continue to flourish as an autonomous brand. A top
decile firm in terms of investment capacity and delivery.
One Education
Formerly Manchester’s traded services team, this now
independent group offer HR, payroll, finance, governance
and ICT support and you will have to look a long way to
find a demonstration of the fullest range of services
presentable. Their school business management service
includes governor support and clerking services.
Retaining a collegiate style and approach to
comprehensivity of services means they offer a wide
range for tight budgets. Not currently leading the ranks
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 41
in terms of growth or profitability that is due to ancestry
more than quality and they can match the top rank
teams here in terms of investment capacity.
NPW (Newham Partnership)
Newham Partnership Working is a partnership approach
to ICT, HR, and governor support and school
management support services. A commercial approach in
a mutual framework, their service range is extensive, and
covers ICT in some depth. For a comprehensive approach
to school management support, they are impressive with
services ranging from health & safety to radiation
protection, manager networks and first aid. Three years
into their new incarnation, they have shown growth
consistently, diversifying beyond regional boundaries.
Another value for money approach investing significantly
and being rewarded for it.
School Business Services
Cloud based budget management software for schools
lies at the heart of the SBS offering, and the team cover
finance, MIS and ICT services for schools. Based in the
south east their reach and appeal is growing strongly.
Finance and business packages are offered on annual
contracts, and they shrewdly partner with Place Group
and School Buyers Club to extend their service range into
procurement and legal areas. This is a team that cover off
the main worry list items for bursars brilliantly. Getting to
the point where genuine national coverage is feasible
they are investing well and growing more strongly than
most top tier firms with spend by bursars placing them
above average in net new sales for the top rank and a
quality proposition to boot.
Education Personnel Management
One of the original innovators in delivering HR and school
compliance services, the range of service supplied
through portals in HR, payroll and DBS checking from
their Cambridgeshire base is backed by some of the most
experienced advisors in the sector. EPM have one of the
longest standing and best developed recruitment portals
for the education sector as well. Recruitment is often a
particular specialism that shares little with core industrial
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 42
and employee relations skill sets, but here it fits well. A
strong value for money proposition they are prized for
their depth of HR focus and bringing quite rare depth of
industrial relations expertise to the table cost effectively.
A strong best of breed choice.
HCSS (Access)
A financial software team, their depth of experience in
education is impressive and they have just joined the VC
led Access Group, a strong mid-market enterprise
software group. Their depth of support in core bursarial
service is impressive. They partner with Capita SIMS on
school information management services and RM for ICT
support. A top quartile firm in terms of new sales growth,
they have the highest growth rate of the top tier
currently and commensurate strong investment capacity.
Another strong best of breed choice.
Service Design
In terms of sheer scale, the ex-traded services or LEA
teams feature more prominently than most with
Manchester’s One Education and Newham’s NPW
topping the charts. Large (ex-) metropolitan teams are by
their very nature going to be substantial businesses when
they become independent. Their service range is typically
very highly developed and coming from a non-profit
background their culture will often be very different from
the self-started teams. They usually have larger teams to
deploy and comparatively lower reliance on internally
developed software to drive service delivery (although
this is changing).
An imponderable is whether the former traded services
teams are able to trade out of declines in their core
services and region while replacing it with new business.
Time will tell, but starting with a captive audience has
enabled them to have a flying start. Most of these teams
are still staff heavy compared to their GRC consultancy
competitors which shows confidence in their future.
SBS is a team coming from the finance and ICT services
sector and doing especially well; branching out now also
into MIS support and HR and payroll. At present the
fuller range of HR services is a stretch for ICT and
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 43
finance/payroll based teams, while for employment
law/HR based teams the same is true in that they find
building finance and especially ICT support something of
a stretch. This is a cultural issue as much as a commercial
one, but we expect the larger GRC teams to manage the
stretch better in time. While some global law firm brands
are seeing competition from the major accountancy and
management consultancy brands (ie EYLaw), this is not a
sector where this level of competition is likely to make an
impact for some time (if ever).
The established independents, Strictly Education and
EPM have solid positions and the technology players are
also making their mark (see HCSS, The Key and
Frontline/SLA). Technology competence no longer
means having the ability to offer ICT support for schools
and colleges as this is a particular (and often low margin)
business line in nits own right. The cost effective delivery
of outsourced legal services and compliance services
increasingly now relies on suppliers having demonstrable
competence in diarised document management, learning
management, case and inspection;/certification
management systems. Looking 3-5 years out these teams
should be thinking about the legal services issues around
distributed ledger technology (Blockchain) and to a
degree artificial intelligence, while the majority should
already be delivering digital solutions support on SaaS
(‘software as a service’; and ideally built in to existing
fixed fees) and Cloud platforms. There is a replatforming
for professional service firm technology coming in 3-5
years and pricing structures must accommodate this. The
top rank teams are the most likely to offer the guarantee
that the changes will not require revising the agreements
and revising prices but be subsumed within normal terms
of business.
Leaders here have to sustain an ability to be best of
breed in their industry for sales and marketing. The
industry competition means even (and perhaps
especially) premium Law Firms are losing out to GRC
consultancies on general business, with software and
financial advisory teams making strong inroads through
traditional ERP major sales channels. The market is
polarising to some degree with the premium brands
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 44
investing more heavily in their price elastic specialisms,
while automatable processes go to those with business
structures designed to exploit them.
Education leaders are investing heavily in these leaders
currently. To keep pace with this top league means the
firms should be maintaining top line sales growth of over
20% pa. Generating £250k profits per year or 7.3%
profitability while investing heavily in service
development is not untypical. Perhaps above all growing
the client base by around half a million pounds a year is
the strongest evidence of buyer support, as this is the
scale of the growth the top firms are taking in their stride
now. This is not one off growth or project based either. It
is incremental and long term. For the law firms
benchmarked on other law firms the growth challenges
here are less pressing, but that law firms are typically
growing here at less than half the rate of the GRC teams
shows that education leadership is preferring to take its
spend elsewhere. This is partly the fact that the nature of
the work is changing (fewer major projects in the
pipeline and more day-to-day work required), partly
business models (law firms sticking to their knitting and
serial projects competence), but more to do with focus
and empathy with the sector (ie the willingness to
change how a firm does what it does to fit the changing
shape of client demand).
First rank firms typically deliver double-digit growth or
better if they are 100% focused on the sector (as most
are). The new business streams in the ex-LEA teams will
be delivering this on their new business teams, but the
attrition from the core services may in some cases wipe
this out when consolidated.
This is not a race that can’t be joined, and it is far too
early to say that these teams are stretching too much of
a lead, but the ability of these tams to capture significant
levels of new business from schools and colleges
consistently here is impressive. That leaders can do this
while also returning modest but solid profitability (post
investment) is a sign of how much the Education sector is
pushing cash the way of these innovators (always a good
sign). Strictly are setting the pace and it is entirely
possible that under new liberated ownership they will be
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 45
unfettered and harder to catch, rather than distracted
and slowed down.
Quick Comparators
Premium bands: School Business Services (SBS), Strictly Education
The firms expecting the highest returns from their rainmakers and top subject experts; ‘reassuringly expensive’.
Value for Money: NPW, Education Personnel Management (EPM), One Education
Firms delivering packaged and cost effective solutions especially for day to day legal and compliance support.
Investment Capacity: Strictly Education, HCSS, SBS
The firms with the deepest pockets who could make the biggest impacts here should they so choose.
Buyer’s Favourites: Strictly Education, HCSS
The firms with the strongest growth track records currently in terms of nett new business achieved.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 46
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 47
The Four Star Firms The law firms are well represented here and it is the teams
with a particular client focus and sector specialism who do well
especially. As with the first tier, best of breed in law firm
sector specialisms wins our over generalists increasingly. Most
of these law firms are also able to credibly operate nationally,
even on a sector specialist basis. The law firm business model
is hampering some of these teams as they still have to
compete within larger firms for investment in sectors, which
other partners may see as more lucrative; but on their own
terms, the key niche brands are very hard to beat.
Farrer & Co is still the go-to brand for private schools, for
example, and Winckworth Sherwood lead among faith
schools. Stone King may be a regionally based player, but they
focus heavily on the Education sector and are actively
developing services, which match and can exceed those of the
GRC consultancies. Veale Wasbrough Vizards are among the
teams successfully still mining the Frameworks and FE/HE
sectors as well as catering for independent schools. Mills &
Reeve remain a go-to brand for HE work and Eversheds
remains one of the largest teams, possibly despite rather than
because of the scales of the global brand and a go-to brand for
international work. Browne Jacobson may be better known
historically for their public sector approach but have tracked
the autonomous budgets well too and are stepping up to the
challenges in HR services too now.
Publishers and software teams make their mark too, and they
will typically be compatible with Law Firm offerings here,
rather than direct substitutes of them. There are several
constructive instances of ‘co-opetition’ in the market now, not
least Winckworth’s alliances with 3BM, CEFM, NPW and
Strictly. A (unintended) side effect of the sheer volume of
content marketing from law firms and professional advisors
has been the eradication of the traditional publishing industry
here. Brands like Croner have largely withdrawn from the
publishing sector now (to pursue better consulting based
options) given the sheer volume of free content marketing
sources from law firms and others, and web based,
governmental, free and advertising sponsored content is all
that remains.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 48
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 49
The Key was a government sponsored initiative to help
awareness among school and college leaders of compliance
issues and has creatively tackled the support of DIY compliance
management. The fact that they are the only major brand in
play from a publishing (non-advertising led) perspective is
instructive.
The Schools HR Co-operative is a team coming out of
Hillingdon’s LEA traded services team running on a not-for-
profit basis and focusing on the HR issues specifically. Whereas
corporate restructuring is the lead issue with law firms, in day-
to-day work it is usually HR, and here we can see that even HR
specialists can match or beat the full service law propositions
now long term on occasion.
Double first/Engage are a software specialist and while it is
early days we expect more creative software teams such as
this to increasingly make inroads into the top ranks. They are
unashamedly focused on the fee-paying sector and like School
Business Management and Strictly are in a sweet spot
currently for school business managers in particular.
The Firms
The Key/WB
Initially a content solution sponsored by Government, this
team have migrated to a full publishing solution with modular
support for School Leaders and School Governors providing
subscription Q&A content and toolkits. The WB addition
brought eLearning and CPD support to the mix. Now backed by
an experienced private VC, they know how to develop services.
Solid back-up for those tackling GRC issues on a DIY basis. In
common with many broadly based teams, they are already
offering considerable depth in governor support services, as
well as (alongside many of the financially experienced teams)
providing support for fundraising and extra income efforts.
Croner’s pricing for online services left the planet some time
ago and for these suites per user rates of c£50 to school wide
£500 packages are typical, and they already have over 30%
penetration of the sector. Bringing more services to the mix
will be required increasingly and this is likely to be in the field
of software toolkits and apps. Development opportunities for
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 50
publishers are typically limited in regulatory compliance now,
so whether they aim for this sector in more depth remains to
be seen.
Stone King
Undoubtedly a go-to brand in services for schools and colleges,
Stone King has made their education team a pivotal
department within their firm overall. Of all the law firms, their
Education team is the largest as a division compared to the rest
of the business. It matters; this team is committed to a future
in education. Based in the South West and with over 85 fee
earners their appeal is national. Running the NASBM and
FASNA helplines and legal advisory support functions gives
them a uniquely high profile among schools. Services are
available on project and retainer bases, and while ultimately a
cost effective solution provider, the depth of experience is
impressive. The fact that their core team may be smaller now
than some of the larger GRC teams belies the fact that they can
bring an impressive range of expertise to major projects should
it be so required. Among laws firms, they have been better
than most at converting project work into long term
relationship support. To some extent this will be due to their
extensive content marketing efforts, which is impressive. As
with VWV and Michelmores, this is a smaller law firm
compared to the large national brands, but able in their chosen
specialism to bring bigger guns to bear very effectively.
Veale Wasbrough Vizards (VWV)
A 200+ fee earner full service law firm, often firms of this scale
have teams who can come together for a sector, but VWV
genuinely target this sector as a core specialism. The sector
generates more than 10% of their overall revenues so, once
again, they are demonstrating their commitment. Represented
on four frameworks and four Institutes including the ISBA,
Local Government Lawyers Group and COBIS, their breadth of
appeal is clear and they are close on the heels of the other high
visibility law firms such as Stone King, Browne Jacobson, Mills
& Reeve, etc and ahead of some of the niche premium brands.
A strong ‘good people’ approach supported by good content
marketing and professional positioning. Historically aiming to
offer a one-stop-shop for education services, they have also
now launched a Compliance on-stream suite of services
addressing the compliance challenge in particular bringing
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 51
together all of their extensive content and support services. A
strong value for money approach, they are able to match most
top law firms in terms of the capacity they can deploy here.
Schools HR Co-operative
Formerly HIllingdon’s School HR service, independent since
2011 services include HR, payroll, recruitment and OH, with he
team being led by Mike and Bob Charlton. Expanding their
appeal beyond west London now, they are serving the Thames
Valley. An experienced HR team, they offer occupational health
support including a medical advisory helpline taking their
services beyond the scope of most pure HR specialists.
Farrer & Co
The premium brand specialising in private schools and fee-
paying independents, the team led by David Smellie are one of
the longest standing specialists here. They see the HE and
school sectors as almost entirely different specialisms now as
increasingly the cross-over between the two is diminishing and
they are offering colleges alternatives now to other HE
specialists. Major projects competence is established in the HE
sector and they recently joined the London University
purchasing consortium. Well known among AGBIS, BSA, GSA,
HMC, ISBA and ISC they have extensive experience from
safeguarding crises to international fundraising and are the
leading premium law firm brand in the independent school
sector led by the traditional ‘best-people’ approach. Do not be
misled by the dusty establishment credential, however. Lift the
bonnet here and you’ll see the Starship Enterprise driving
service delivery.
Mills & Reeve
A national law firm and one of the largest overall to maintain a
focus on the education sector, they have a strong team and a
high quality advisor pitch led by Gary Attle (South) and Richard
Sykes (North) and operate from five regional centres.
Genuinely able to offer a one-stop-shop, they are well
represented on many frameworks as well as partnering with
NASBM and NGA. Large firms tend to tackle too many
specialisms or sectors, but Mills Reeve are focused and
Education is one of 11 sectors. They have a significant capacity
for major projects and a strong if fairly traditional approach to
content marketing branded Fusion. A brand that can manage
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 52
both volume work and cover all the bases, they are a able to
command and sustain a reasonable premium brand position.
Winckworth Sherwood
A strong specialist brand well known among religious schools
in particular, WS are already actively partnering with many
other suppliers in the sector too, notably 3BM, CEFM, NPW
and Strictly. They do offer a brilliantly titled ‘dismissal green
light service’ as well as HR Policy back-up, and content support
through an S3 portal, although they prefer to hand this off to
their Strictly Education partners. The choice for premium brand
law firms to focus on this high value specialist legal work or to
develop the GRC revenue streams is comparatively easy for
these premium brands; opting for the high value niche
dominance is the straight forward choice. Developing services
here is essentially all about the quality of people, recruitment
and highly intricate network management, although they are
one of the first to address social impact bonds actively too. For
Catholic schools in particular Winckworth are unrivalled here,
but the rivalry between them and Farrer & Co offer a good
choice for buyers.
Double First-Engage
A good example of the school information management
systems sector, Engage includes a wide range of modules and
use institute and affinity group endorsements heavily. What is
becoming called EMM (Enterprise Mobility Management)
drives much of systems design and especially delivery
currently, and this is a great example of the smaller firms
delivering big solutions here. These databases and document
management systems are the core of school management MIS
platforming and increasingly the systems that compliance must
talk to and enhance. An independent school specialist, they are
endorsed by the ISA. Part of a wider ICT and telephony group
(duPre) they are committed specialists in finance and IT for
schools growing strongly from their south east base.
Eversheds
One of the three biggest UK’s biggest law brands to choose to
invest in the education sector, they have one of the largest
teams. With one of the most comprehensive marketing and
business development approaches deployed, they have almost
exhaustive coverage of the frameworks. No longer indisputably
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 53
the largest provider and matched by some of the other
specialists increasingly, their ability to deploy large teams with
depth of experience is still clear. They cover all the bases with a
very content rich approach to ongoing support. Led by Diane
Gilhooley. One of those brands that ‘nobody-gets-sacked-for-
using’, they are rarely playing on price, but the quality of their
people.
Browne Jacobson
Browne Jacobson offer a one stop shop for schools and
academies and a wide ranging service partnered with NGA,
FASNA, ASCL and NASBM. They have the largest capacity in the
field and a high profile and their own dedicated Education
conference. Bundled and fixed fee services include Academy
Conversion, Quickcall, and HR Services as they increasingly
seek to straddle both the legal specialties and the GRC
competencies. Their HR service offers on-site, dedicated HR
professional fixed fee services, including payroll, occupational
health, DBS checks and absence insurance from associate
suppliers. This is a strong initial pitch into the GRC services
arena from a team who see lawyers as able to underpin such
fixed fee suites, not stand off from them. Pricing for their
packages starts at a premium level for smaller schools
compared to the regulatory consultancies and rises at typically
£80 per employee. Within the core packages they have
embraced the unlimited calling aspect which is good to see,
albeit for off-site work predominantly; and rare still among law
firms with a retainer mindset. Half day rates (inc
disbursements, travel, etc) at £300 per half day effectively is
competitive. Brown Jacobson have a lot invested in the sector,
a strong mid-market brand position and they have clearly
decided they have to deploy marketing and business
development professionals to exploit the demand for GRC
solutions as well. More firms will follow this as pressure
mounts, and this is a good example of a law firm seeing the
challenges and being alive to their implications.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 54
Quick Comparators
Premium bands: Farrer & Co; Winckworth Sherwood; Eversheds
The firms expecting the highest returns from their rainmakers and top subject experts; ‘reassuringly expensive’.
Value for Money: Veale Wasborough Vizards; Stone King, Browne Jacobson
Firms delivering packaged and cost effective solutions especially for day to day legal and compliance support.
Investment Capacity: Farrer & Co; Winckworths; Stone King, VWV, Eversheds
The firms with the deepest pockets who could make the biggest impacts here should they so choose.
Buyer’s Favourites: The Key; Schools HR Co-op; Stone King; Engage
The firms with the strongest growth track records currently in terms of nett new business achieved.
Project Capacity: Browne Jacobson; Mills & Reeve; Winckworth; Eversheds; VWV
Firms able to deploy the largest teams from other specialisms, typically property, procurement and government law.
Law Firm Focus: Stone King; VWV; Winckworth; Farrer; Browne Jacobson
The law firms which are making education law a key part of their brand and committed to service development.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 55
The Three Star Firms In as competitive a market as this there is no shame in being a
third tier (or even lower) ranked supplier, and the strength of
some of the brands here is testimony to that. These are
potential brand, sector and niche leaders holding their own
well in a transforming market, alongside some new thrusters.
Pinsents has been a long established brand with good capacity
for larger deals on a solid premium law firm pitch. This is the
territory where law firms fight hardest, and firms such as
Pinsents and Charles Russel Speechleys, with an equally strong
premium pitch, certainly have the investment capacity should
they so choose to invest strongly here. The commercial
challenge of unseating one of the established niche law firm
leaders is perhaps a tougher challenge than matching the GRC
advisory teams. Law firms often address this through lateral
hiring, however, so never say never, although this is not
growing the market, typically, merely reshuffling the pack.
There are also innovative teams like Place Group who
specialise in the BSF projects that hitherto were the sole
preserve of the law firms. Very credible in their own right as a
consultancy, the fact that this level of work is commoditising as
the number of conversions rises must be a concern to those
law firms still hoping to sustain premium brand pitches for
academy conversion work. Many more law firms are also being
candid about the fact that academic conversion is now a
packageable service with fixed fees becoming more common.
Technology is a recurrent theme throughout all of the tiers
represented here and in suppliers like SLA it is critical in
ensuring the historic suppliers are able to respond to the
various levels of disruptive competition they now face. HR and
advisory teams may not put technology in their front widow
but it typically underpins everything they do and is bundled
within the service. For financial teams it is front and centre and
highly visible. For law firms it is typically well hidden, but in
many issues law firms are ahead of the pack in, eg document
automation, case management and client mobile
communications (whisper it quietly; good lawyers do do tech
now and do it well).
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 56
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 57
The Firms
Pinsent Masons
A full service international law firm brand with over 1300 fee
earners, Universities and Higher Education is a core specialism
for them. As major infrastructure projects decline their
emphasis is on commercialisation of assets and relationships in
education, often with an international flavour. A premium
brand able to credibly undercut the niche leaders, this
competitive intensity will only grow as the pipeline of major HE
projects has plateaued. The brand is a major global player and
when less than 1% of their sales regularly comes from any
niche it will have a question mark over it for the long term, but
while they continue to have a strong multi-disciplinary team to
deploy it fits their overall objectives well.
Place Group
Specialists in the BSF projects that hitherto were the preserve
of the law firms, Place are a consultancy now focused on the
academies program alongside devising their School Buyer’s
Club service, a creative approach to helping schools with
procurement issues. Their project management focuses on
managing the overlaps between the various work streams in
legal documentation, HR, TUPE, loan and assets, financial
systems, due diligence, payroll and stakeholder engagements.
Frontline Data/SLA
Theirs is life in the traditional LEA approach yet and it’s known
as traded services. Typically achieving the pressurised ‘more-
from-less’ that is required here needs software and this is the
vacuum SLA have filled. The parent software company
specialises in on-line property and facilities management
software as well as a wide range of safety compliance systems
(asbestos, fire, water, repairs, etc). IN effect SAL’s importance
is that they bring the more active LEA teams back into the
game.
Having developed SLA, they now have over 24 local authorities
on their SLA online system. SLA Online is a traded services
management system including we design templates and solves
a major headache for LEAs facing the more-from-less
challenge. The rise quite quickly of the SLA team on the back of
solid traded services automation solutions reflects the
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 58
pressure on the LEA teams in particular. ROI is crucial in a
more-from-less environment and SLA fit the bill admirably. Not
surprisingly SLA lead the Tier here as the team with the
strongest new sales pipeline; traded services teams may be
late arrivals at the ball but they are determined to keep what
they can.
CEFM
The Centre for Education and Financial Management has one
of the longest pedigrees as a GRC consultancy, starting initially
with projects for school improvement and turnaround and
coming from a content heavy and HR approach. An innovative
team, they have always avoided over-promising and their
occupational health and licensing suites of services are ground
breaking. Lacking the stronger front line sales efforts of some
of the higher ranked teams, this is a team who can be relied on
to deliver what they promise.
The Centre for Education Management is from the same stable
as EPM and Strictly and a long standing brand. Initially from an
HR background and with a strongly content focused service,
they are diversifying into the finance aspects of support. A
trusted and well respected brand, it is wrong to assume that all
the GRC teams are novices or newcomers. The depth of
experience here is unrivalled.
Michelmores
An Exeter based commercial firm, Education is an important
focus for them at both school and FE/University levels. A
strong advisory pitch led by Anthony Power. A strong regional
pitch backed by a full service commercial firm, this is a value
for money play in the South West. This ambitious firm will still
struggle in some other regions, but they demonstrate the fact
that a number of regionally focused specialists can more than
hold their own. Regional strengths will endure as many buyers
will not be national in character, but equally the national
players will increasingly have the pockets to invest more, more
often, forcing the regional teams to innovate technologically,
redirect or diversify. A solid emphasis on fixed fees is welcome,
and while they have yet to address the GRC challenge with the
energy of a Browne Jacobson, they are very handsomely
represented on the public sector procurement frameworks and
can bring a price challenge to the premium players while
matching them on breadth of coverage and project capacity.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 59
Judicium
A lawyer led team, originally an SME regulatory consultancy,
they have now set the standard in designing and delivering
fixed fee compliance services for schools and colleges. Services
range from HR and payroll to occupational health, safety,
leadership and school improvement support, as well as
financial management. Leon da Costa’s team are one to watch
as they prove that a premium service can be delivered on a
regulatory consultancy business model here. Many insurance
based SME compliance teams dabble here, but Judicium have
bet the shop. We do not expect this team to settle in the mid-
rankings for long but to rise steadily as the second most sought
after team by buyers in this tier already.
Led by lawyers, this team initially started life as a regulatory
consultancy with broader SME appeal. That they choose to
specialise in education was a personal choice of the founders
and they have excelled in service development. Coming from
the much more structured regulatory consultancy sector, they
understand fixed fees and service packaging better than most
consultancies and integrate a genuinely legal component to
their service seamlessly.
Charles Russell Speechlys
A major London law firm, deploying over 430 fee earners in
total, the education teams led by Jennifer Pierce is part of their
Charity practice and offers a premium service focused on the
Higher and further education sector primarily, although with
some school coverage now too. Growing well, should they so
choose they can invest as much as their larger competitors.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 60
Quick Comparators
Premium bands: Charles Russell Speechlys; Pinsent Mason; Judicium
The firms expecting the highest returns from their rainmakers and top subject experts; ‘reassuringly expensive’.
Value for Money: CEFM; Place Group; Michelmores
Firms delivering packaged and cost effective solutions especially for day to day legal and compliance support.
Investment Capacity: Pinsent, Michelmores; Charles Russell
The firms with the deepest pockets who could make the biggest impacts here should they so choose.
Buyer’s Favourites: SLA; Judicium
The firms with the strongest growth track records currently in terms of nett new business achieved.
Project Capacity: Pinsent, Michelmores, CEFM
Firms able to deploy the largest teams from other specialisms, typically property, procurement and government law.
Law Firm Focus: Michelmores
The law firms which are making education law a key part of their brand and committed to service development.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 61
The Two Star Firms The industry tides are more evident in the 4th and 5th rankings
than elsewhere. Strong regional plays by law firms and
consultancies can see them compete head to head with
national brands on their home turf very effectively. In the
north East a school is as likely to use Muckle as DWF, and
Shakespeare Martineau and Freeths in the midlands and the
north, Barlow Robbins in Surrey, Geldards in Wales, etc. That
DWF and Bond Dickinson hold comparatively modest rankings
compared to their overall size here is simply a reflection of that
very fact. Both are good teams, typically with good mid-
market price propositions; they are neither top premium
players nor cost cutters. In a world where specialisation is
increasingly telling they are covering all the bases well; but
perhaps missing out on some aspects other specialists focus
on. DWF have the strongest capacity as a law team by some
way to tackle major Education projects here, but the urgency
among even good law firms in tackling the growth in day-to-
day GRC work is missing. Accordingly, in this sector they are
being overtaken by GRC specialists.
As above law firm brands dominate, although not necessarily
in terms of size of regular business from the sector any more.
Typically law firms here will have less than 5% of their overall
sales coming from the Education sector. Firms like
Shakespeares, Freeths and especially Bond Dickinson and
DWF are £50-100m+ businesses, but in terms of reliance on
this specialism their teams can be matched by focused HR
teams or the larger regulatory consultancies testing the water.
The economics of the market are pushing DWF, Freeths, Bond
Dickinson and Shakespeare’s elsewhere. Muckle, Geldards
and Barlow Robbins have already made the call to build more
strongly in the sector even from a regional start if need be and
can expect to do well. Once again smaller teams (Barlow
Robbins and Muckle are £10-15m law firms) seem to grasp the
opportunity more readily than their bigger competitors,
although the investment capacity to build wider service ranges
into GRC service options is necessarily more limited. The
quality of people here remains high, especially among the rain
makers in some key regional teams. The market is moving
beyond the point where good people alone will sustain a
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strong position, however. Look for those investing in wider
service ranges in a paced and deliverable fashion.
3BM and Every/TES have strong technology backgrounds here.
From asset management and SIMS support services they
demonstrate well how the procurement driver within schools
is now a specialism in its own right. Typically the fastest
growing players here, growth in the high teens or 20%+ range
is not untypical, ie 3-4 times the market average suggests these
firms are riding a wave. Law firms like Shakespeares can match
this, but most do not. The lesson is clear – prevention through
astute procurement is preferred to crisis management. (The
fence at the top of the cliff, not the ambulance at the bottom
approach once again.)
Insurance advisory service teams usually have a stronger
impact on advisory and compliance markets, but Schools
Advisory Service is a good example of how advice and
assistance disciplines can dominate a service sector. Focused
on absence and attendance issues, they are genuine specialists
with occupational health apps and support. These solutions are
head of their time in compliance consulting and will face
increasingly competition from the likes of Peninsula Business
Services and RBS Mentor, two top regulatory consultancies.
These teams have proved the concept but (with the exception
of Judicium) have rarely yet deployed their specialist service
teams in full. That may change as the SME HR market is now
mature, and most teams certainly have the investment
capacity to make stronger in roads into this sector than they
currently do; Mentor and Peninsula especially.
Technology driven firms are powering through this tier and can
be expected to rise in the ranks quite quickly, while both
regulatory consultancies and even some quite large law firms
have a stick or twist call to make. Larger law brands have
pulled out or pulled back, and some of the smaller ones have
decided to focus on their regional niches and dig in. The
market is developing at such a pace, however, that even these
regional strengths will come under pressure increasingly. In FE
and HE sectors sustaining the rainmaking capability that the
‘best-people’ strategies of most law firms rely on remains
pivotal. If those key people move or retire, some of the smaller
teams especially can be vulnerable. In this tier, there is clear
evidence of all of the law firms taking a robust approach to
succession; below tier 5 this can be a significant worry.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 64
The Firms
Muckle
A regional firm (North East) with a strong commitment to the
sector, Muckle achieve paced growth with a good level of cost
effective service. On their patch they will readily beat the
national brands, not least through their association with
Schools NorthEast, although the usual suspects as well as some
of the larger neighbours are also listed on the marketplace
service SNE offers. Led by Tony Phillips this is a good example
of a team who have taken the good people as a given and
added fixed fee services, suites encompassing employment
law, commercial contracting, property, construction and
governance issues, all combined in 2 branded services: MI
School and MI Staff. Headline fixed fees are quoted at £6k for
MI School with 30 hours of support built in, and £3.5-£5k for
the Staff service.
Schools Advisory Service
A high profile specialist in staff absence insurance for schools
and academies, SAS have broadened their approach to cover
many of the most common occupational health issues facing
schools on a daily basis. A service that is normally covered by
either HR teams and/or their safety equivalents, SAS now cover
3500 schools and partner with the NASBM and IAA. A genuine
schools sector specialist their advisory support now also
extends to HR, academy conversion and finance. Their parent,
Sovereign Risk Management is a Derbyshire based commercial
risk specialist broker with sales of £20m+.
Bond Dickinson
An ambitious national law firm, Bond Dickinson are over
£100m in sales nationally and bring a team of 16 to the sector’s
services. Built through a series of partnerships of partnerships,
their education team sit within the third sector and charities
practice. Led by Kevin Robertson the firm’s ability to tackle the
major projects remains a key focus and a wide range of
expertise can be brought to bear. Essentially a fairly traditional
good-people-well-resourced approach, they will be a solid
alternative to the Mills & Reeve or Eversheds teams, but it
remains to be seen if they will bring their considerable
resources to bear on prioritising this sector as they could.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 65
Peninsula Business Services
Peninsula are the market leaders by some way in the provision
of fixed fee employment and safety packages backed by
insurance for small businesses. It is a small step for them to
adapt these for individual schools and in many cases they have
been able to do so. They will typically be much more cost
effective than law firm HR bundled packages, many of which
do not offer the long stop of legal expenses insurance cover for
tribunal claims. They recently also acquired the consulting
division from Croner, the erstwhile leaders in school
compliance publishing, and their Croner brand offers a higher
service level for teams requiring more depth in HR and safety
service. Like their law firm competitors, however, while they
have already sold to over 1000 schools, the decision to focus
on the sector requires investment. It is early days, but they are
stepping up their investment here and a credible value for
money suite of services is on the cards.
Fusion HR
A pure HR consultancy team, Fusion imitate the traded services
ones now in expanding their education expertise to wider SME
clienteles. A very experienced specialist HR group, their growth
is impressive. Coming from HR rather than a regulatory
consulting background (albeit familiar with that), they have a
wider range of HR support available. Health and safety,
occupational health and academy support packages are in
place and this is a team with genuine depth of insight,
including an employment lawyer on staff. The mark of a good
team here is often their ability to sell, but their willingness to
temper growth with the ability to service it well, and we expect
this team to make measured progress up the rankings.
DWF
A strong national brand now albeit developing from their
North West base, DWF deploy one of the largest teams in the
UK (bigger than Eversheds numerically if not in terms of all fee
earners being exclusively focused on this sector). This brings
strong capabilities in major projects and they can match any of
the top law firms here while also building a local touch for
schools and smaller colleges as well. DWF undoubtedly have
good people and a strong content marketing support team,
and their approach to support is ‘crisis response’ led. While
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 66
some others are beginning to copy the crisis approach, they
are the only team to offer a whistleblowing service (to help
with identifying fraud, health & safety issues) etc
preventatively. The Crisis Support package is award winning
and effectively packages the legal risk equivalent of an IT
disaster recovery plan with prices starting from £950-£1495
(and BS11200 compatible). Aspects of a management plan,
training and documentation re very similar to the regulatory
consulting approach, but the packaging is fresher. Full
packages range from £2.5k to £7.5k and can include options
such as PR, financial fraud, data security, clinical psychologists
and reputation safeguarding. An innovative approach, DWF are
clearly seeking to narrow the gap with their peers, and the only
reason they are not ranked higher is their historical reliance on
project work not translating into a stronger full time team
earlier. As the major project pipeline slows, they are well
placed to rise in the tiers, it all depends on whether the firm
can sustain the focus on what remains for them a small sector
overall.
Every/Sandgate/TES
TES is one of the ubiquitous brands in education that moving
away from it is notable, but Every is the child of a demerger
between Sandgate’s asset management software and TES. The
founders come from facilities and asset management
specialisms for schools and their focus on the sector is
palpable. One of the few teams to eschew profitability to build
rapid growth, they are following software mores here more
than sectoral ones, but the opportunity is clear. High growth is
delivering a business with the ability to take half a million in
new sales in a given year and they can expect to rise through
the ranks progressively. There is clear evidence of increased
demand for support in commercial services and contracting
among the legal advisory teams, and this is the software and
operational equivalent where procurement systems, and asset
management services reach into school business management
as well. One to watch.
Barlow Robbins
BR have taken the plunge and while they offer personal and
business advice across the board too. They are focusing on the
third sector and schools as a key brand attribute. A surrey
based team, their practice overall is comparable in size to a
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 67
Muckle or Stone King and while not betting the shop on
Education, they have certainly taken the plunge as a specialist
alternative in advice for independent schools. Rightly not trying
to be all things to all people, their service range is well thought
through including fixed fee SafeEmploy branded services for
HR and safety support. Working in tandem with a retained HR
consultancy, packages start at £850 pa for Bronze support,
£1600 for Silver (helpline, documents audit and ad hoc
projects), and POA for the full insured packages. These are
price points designed to counter the regulatory consultancies
and should do so well. A good example of a smaller team
staking a claim to their regional patch robustly.
3BM
An experienced consulting team coming out of Hammersmith,
Kensington and Westminster local authorities, they offer an
innovative range of school support services. 3BM Education
starts with a suite of ICT support services with School Support
covering all issues from SIMS support, finance and payroll to
academy financial support. In common with many finance and
payroll focused teams they do not stray too close to HR and
employment law, although the software does cover all the
usual bases in SaaS, cloud and HR/absence reporting. The team
demonstrate a strong developmental ethic and are among the
best in delivering packages with a strong bursarial emphasis
and appeal.
Shakespeare Martineau
A midlands based law firm, Shakespeare’s are growing strongly
organically and by acquisition to challenge the national brands
and they have chosen education as one of their 5 key sectors
to build expertise in. The Education team are, for example, as
big as their employment law team overall, which certainly
shows willing. The core team show particular expertise in
further and higher education issues and while it is rare for
firms to make such a play of this it shows ambition and focus.
The service range incorporates commercial matters, HR,
strategy and governance and property/estate issues. Working
closely with the AHUA (Association of Heads of University
Administration) their preference for FE and HE sector work
means the scope for packaged and fixed fee services is more
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 68
limited. The team will achieve a higher ranking as their core
grows, although this is likely to be slower than in other sectors
given the ‘lumpy’ project based nature of the deal flows. A
solid competent person with professional content marketing
and business development support, on their patch they offer a
compelling value for money pitch. They clearly get it, and will
be a more compelling proposition than many similar midlands
teams, but there is much to do yet. If they choose to specialise
on the HE sector more they could make a significant
contribution, but sadly this is not the area where the greatest
growth in client spend is forecast currently.
Mentor
RBS or NatWest Mentor services is one of the longest standing
regulatory consulting teams. Initially coming from the bank’s
insurance arm it is now autonomous and offers a range of SME
focused services in employment law, HR and safety
compliance. One of the first regulatory consultancies to
specialise in the schools and education sector, their fixed fee
packages are typically very cost effective and delivered
nationwide. They have a wide range of sectors developing and
along with others in the sector can be expected to deliver on-
line and supportive ‘apps’ increasingly as well. Their fixed fee
services typically include the legal expenses cover that ensures
that as long as their advice is followed the establishment is
protected against the costs of tribunal or awards that can arise.
Freeths
A midlands based major law firm, Freeths specialise in over a
dozen sectors, one of which is Education. They cover
universities and colleges primarily but can extend to schools
and academies as required. This focus means they remain
wedded to the traditional law firm business model
predominantly competing on the quality of people, pricing and
the ability to bring a solid team to a major project as required.
On their patch a reliable, approachable and cost effective
team, they will have to specialise more if they are to rise in the
rankings as they deserve. Like many law firms, the days when
simply having good people on board are waning and the focus
has to now be much more on direct client support services too.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 69
Geldards
A Wales and Midlands based full service law firm, their
Education service sits within the third sector specialisms. They
have a strong reputation within the Welsh university sector in
particular and typify a smaller team led by significant rain
makers (Huw Williams and Rhian Brace in Cardiff and Paul
Hilsdon in Derby) able to dominate in a regional niche. In their
chosen areas the Geldards team demonstrate the depth of
insight such specialists can deliver with experience in
inspection bodies, examination boards and funding councils
complementing their private and public sector competencies.
While much of their experience will be transferable, Geldards
will be unwilling to step too far beyond their regional
preferences while able to deliver a value for money service.
Quick Comparators
Premium bands: Barlow Robbins; Shakespeare Martineau; Bond Dickinson
The firms expecting the highest returns from their rainmakers and top subject experts; ‘reassuringly expensive’.
Value for Money: Mentor; Geldards; Freeths
Firms delivering packaged and cost effective solutions especially for day to day legal and compliance support.
Investment Capacity: Muckle; Bond Dickinson; Freeths
The firms with the deepest pockets who could make the biggest impacts here should they so choose.
Buyer’s Favourites: Every; Fusion HR; Schools Advisory Service
The firms with the strongest growth track records currently in terms of nett new business achieved.
Project Capacity: 3BM; DWF; Bond Dickinson
Firms able to deploy the largest teams from other specialisms, typically property, procurement and government law.
Law Firm Focus: Muckle; Barlow Robbins; Geldards
The law firms which are making education law a key part of their brand and committed to service development.
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The Lone Star Teams The fifth rank includes many of the new challengers and firms
for whom the penny has dropped as they decide to make a
stronger pitch to education teams for their particular brands.
One or two are facing hard decisions about whether to stick or
leave, but in most cases these are innovators on ‘the journey’.
The rankings here relate to those teams which have a
sustained core of business in education, not just the capacity
to tackle ad hoc major projects. Major projects are likely to
decrease in the medium and long term and education buyers
seeking long term partners need those who have already
committed to building a strong core business. These suppliers
will be at least half a million in sales, typically, and while the
ability to tackle multi-million pound deals is undoubtedly there
in some law firms not ranked here, notably Ashfords, Osborne
Clarke and Weightmans – good firms all – now is the time to
decide to either build a stronger core in education, settle for a
‘partner’s pet’ position, or migrate to other sectors.
Just as some deep pockets in regulatory consulting (and their
close competitors in firms like Citation, Ellis Whittam and
ELAS) have to decide to tackle the specialisation more deeply,
law firms equally face a stick or twist call. SAS Daniels’
Education 360 and SAS Protect plays are good examples of a
law firm innovating better than the competition. Harrison
Clarke Rickerby’s School Friend is another such with an
impressive range of fixed fee services covering everything from
capital projects to intellectual property, but also health &
safety and staffing and free 30 minute advisory packages
(almost the right idea, and certainly on the right track). Just
outside the rankings, Xact is a safety specialist team offering
value for money services to schools and likely to make an
impact here shortly.
The determining characteristic of the growth teams here
among law firms is that from comparatively modest major
project capacity they are and have built sizeable advisory and
day-to day advice businesses covering law but also a wide
range of governance risk and compliance services. Many will
not accept that they have been overtaken so far and so fast by
some of the larger GRC teams, but the quality of the fight back
from these innovative, often regionally based teams is
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impressive. Schools should have no qualms in supporting these
new business models from mid-market law firms. Most firms
here will have less than £1m in sales routinely coming from the
sector, while some law firms will be on a project and ad hoc
basis quadruple that.
For many years, law firms in particular will have felt protected
or privileged to have access to the Crescent Consortium or
APUC procurement frameworks. Most of these are up for
renewal now, however, and the growth in the legal services
spend is no longer in the areas controlled through these
frameworks (or not in that way). Where firms like Trowers
Hamlin were able to trade these relationships up into EFA
(education Funding Agency) advisory support, etc this ‘edge’
remains.
Education priorities and changes in Scotland are different to
England and Wales, and Anderson Strathern come in here with
both a solid project capacity and a support services play on a
premium service pitch. Arguably were market conditions north
of the border more similar they would be among the higher
rankings.
While typically the lawyers view of the market is that HR is a
peripheral issue in comparative terms, the presence here of a
number of high growth HR consultancy specialists is notable.
B3Sixty is a good example of a specialist HR team tackling the
increasingly disaggregated legal services market one piece at a
time. Backed by a broader HR consultancy, they specialise in
independent investigations and dispute resolution in
education. ECC is a similar specialist niche service provider,
cornering the market here in compensation and benefits
services, advice and consulting. Always a technical specialism
within HR, comp & ben has to be independently benchmarked,
and is only getting more complex with the introduction of
market rates in autonomous environments. Enlightened HR
have partnered with a law firm for wider legal support, but
offer a focused education, HR and employee relations service
which is growing strongly.
‘Co-opetition’ remains a feature of this sector with HR teams
employing solicitors and law firms launching HR teams. If other
compliance markets are any guide the financial and contractual
specialists will come to these specialisms only sporadically, and
the issue to watch here is payroll. Payroll software teams
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 74
rarely put much effort into developing HR consulting properly.
HR consulting t4eams typically tackle HR better, but will avoid
the larger bulk processing based payrolls. It is horses for
courses, but as the market fragments, the agility of payroll
software now favours the HR teams.
The Firms
Foot Anstey
An ambitious and commercial South West based team, Foot
Anstey are a lively brand offering a full commercial service and
focusing on 8 specific sectors, of which Education is one. A
recent arrival to the APUC and CPC frameworks for the
university sector in the South West their focus is on
independent schools and the FE/HE sectors. They accurately
describe their approach as a first class value for money service,
with independent schools they have also developed a
packaged approach branded ‘Supporting Schools and Colleges’
which alongside fixed fees offers benefits for students and
families. A firm overall with sales in excess of £30m, this is a
creative team tackling the requirements of both good people
and good services well and while the education focused team
is small and multi-disciplinary, they have all the components in
place to secure more long term business from the sector.
Blake Morgan
A full service law firm with a substantial a focus on the third
and public sectors, education is a key specialism within that
team. As with many teams here the ability to pull together
significant project teams is notable, while the core or day-to-
day education team is comparatively small. Targeting the
Oxford Colleges and the FE/HE sector explains some of this,
and while this is a £50m firm overall, the education sector
remains important to them and they are extending their scope
into independent schools and academies increasingly too. A
traditional ‘good people’ approach, their public sector
empathy brings a value for money ethic as well.
Penningtons Manches
A strong mid-market national law firm brand, they are aiming
to compete amongst the leading global and international
practices (often 5 times their size) and take a strong sectoral
approach to UK services to do so. Education is one of 14
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 75
chosen sectors. A focus on universities and private colleges is
backed by an international capability and a willingness to
broaden the scope to research councils and associations.
Official sponsors of the Times Higher Education leadership &
management awards reflects this emphasis. They bring a large
team to the sector, but within a firm of over £350m in sales it
remains a small part of their overall business. Their focus on
the complex project work is backed by a strong team well
supported with solid content marketing but their full time core
team remains comparatively small. They undoubtedly have
the capability to rival the other national and international
brands on complex projects and here the fact that their team
spend as much time on other immigration, intellectual
property, government contract, corporate or property work
will be a real advantage. It is an area which is increasingly hotly
contested and where deal flows are not the strongest in the
sector, however. Able and willing to cover transformation
issues for schools and academies, it is not their primary focus,
while they offer strong talent cost effectively for the FE/HE
complex project issues.
Ashurst
A major international legal brand with sales of over £500m,
their size and reach is such that it would surprising if they did
not have the competencies in-house to tackle education law
issues, but they are ranked here as the sector is not one of
their top priorities. Were they to make it so, their impact
would be significant, but they are staying on the high ground of
complex, international projects, and if anything, they have
stronger education teams in associate teams overseas.
B3Sixty
A sister company to a general management and HR
consultancy focused on public and third sector clienteles, this
is their specialist independent employee relations service.
Focusing on investigations and dispute resolution, they partner
with ECC to bring depth of expertise on comp & ben to the mix
too. The founders have significant depth of experience in both
local authority and HE institutions and offer a strong option
either direct to schools and colleges or as a partner for other
more HR focused consultancies or law firms seeking capacity in
these specialisms. The independence of investigations is their
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 76
USP and their focus on this sector makes them a strong
specialist boutique.
Educate HR
A schools and academies HR specialist team led by Gill Meeson
based in Huddersfield, their range of services includes advice,
contracts, policies, recruitment project management, and
governor HR support. Assistance with DBS and occupational
health issues is provided through partnerships. A traditional
style of HR consultancy with explicit service levels, their focus
on the schools sector is clear.
Enlightened HR
Offering a designated advisor level of service, this schools and
academies focused HR consultancy is making great strides in
helping clients outsource their HR and employee relations
issues. Branded Access HR, their online system offering policy
documents, guidance, templates and ‘in-the-lift’ style guidance
is a strong play from £175pa and a good example of the sort of
system most systems driven HR or regulatory consultancies
now offer. Their schools focus and depth of content is clear
and adding strategic and project based support on top to a
high level is impressive. Additional services include payroll,
financial, DBS, pre-employment checks and safety services,
with tribunal representation handed off to a firm of solicitors.
A team which is able to lead this tier in terms of new client
acquisition, their focus and astute service mix should see them
rise in the rankings.
Wrigleys
A Leeds/Sheffield based sector focused law firm, Education is
one of their 7 chosen specialisms. Alongside their charity
sector specialism they offer a full range of services for schools
academies and HE/FE institutions. Having advised over 600
academy conversions they retain services on an ongoing basis
with over 200 and this shows a strong commitment to the
sector. Services encompass fixed price single and multi-
academy model conversions reflecting the development of this
issue now, alongside their experience in PSBP, PFI and BSF
funding options. Fixed price packages start at £80 per month
for helplines and fuller services are branded ‘Education
Response Extra’. An education specific variant of their HR
Response service this incorporates a helpline, a document
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 77
library, retained HR consultants. Part of a smaller regional
team overall, their focus on the sector is impressive and their
development of sector specific support services among the
best available. Their FE/HE team also specialise in the industrial
relations JNCHES and HR issues more than just the major
projects expertise of many competitors. On their patch they’ll
be hard to beat and they have the platform to grow further.
Ward Hadaway
A strong regional law firm brand from the North east, they
have an extensive sectoral approach to service development
and in education their team is extensive and backed by solid
public sector and third sector expertise elsewhere in the firm
as well. Able to deploy strong talented teams in FE/HE work,
their reach into schools and academies is comparatively
modest for a firm of their size, but we expect them to build on
this. Their service range is extensive and they make a strong
alternative to teams in higher tiers such as Eversheds or DWF.
Winning awards for ‘PFI team of the year’ shows their major
projects focus well, while they bring a strong value for money
pitch to a sector most commonly associated with the strong
commercial fee levels and premium legal plays. Fixed fee
options are available covering HR and employment,
Governance, SEN, admissions, safeguarding and commercial
advice. This is a team big enough to advance on all fronts and
their ambitions in this regard are clear. In their employment
team Ward Hadaway have developed credible alternatives to
the regulatory consulting offering and this will be carried over
to the education sector too as increasingly they compete well
with the likes of Peninsula, Citation and ELAS.
DAC Beachcroft
A £200m+ international law practice, it would be strange if
they did not have a presence in the education sector and while
their interest here is predominantly in the HE/FE and public
sector major projects, they are a team able to deploy some
heavyweights. Recently back on the Crescent frameworks,
their primary interests are in major property projects and
interest is driven by the experience of their rainmakers.
SAS Daniels
A smaller law firm in the compliance hot spot of Cheshire, SAS
Daniels have a strong and very commercially focused
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 78
employment law team and within that their education
specialist services have been creatively developed. ‘SAS
Protect’ offers an online package with absence support,
handbooks, training records and employment law guidance as
well as offering insured solutions. ‘Education 360’ offers fixed
fee support on a more bespoke basis. Smaller firms can now
avail themselves of a choice of white labelled content and
advisory packages from software and insurance teams. It
enables them to match the in-house technology prowess of the
larger teams and still bring their team to the fore. SAS show
commitment to the sector and it is a significant part of their
brand going forward.
Anderson Strathern
A strong full service law firm brand in Scotland, Anderson
Strathern face different priorities and issues in education
accordingly, but have made the Education sector a key part of
their public sector practice. Bringing strong project capacity
and deep pockets to the issue, they are well placed to grow
and their current focus is demonstrated by the sponsorship of
the Herald Higher Education Awards. A number of Scottish
firms have very credible teams focused on Education, not least
here, but also Maclay Murray Spens and Brodies, so
geographical expansion is not an easy option for any of the
English or national teams given the quality of these local
specialists.
Harrison Clarke Rickerbys
Another mid-market innovative and energetic law firm with a
sectoral approach to grow and service delivery, Education is
one of six sectors they have prioritised. Their range of
packaged services includes School Friend, Academy
Conversion, and School Line (helpline) with advice covering a
wide range of specific subjects (including capital projects,
governance, parents & pupils). They work in collaboration with
Ease training to deliver HR, recruitment and training services
for schools and academies especially. Their focus on
independent schools is growing with relationships with the ISC,
ISBA and BSA in place and strategically they are placing
themselves to chase the niches dominated by the likes of
Farrers. A team well placed with the quality of their team to
continue their rise up the rankings, their focus should see them
climb the ranking progressively.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 79
ECC
The Educational Competencies Consortium is an FE/HE consortium
operating on a not-for-profit basis. A member driven organisation
focused on job evaluation, compensation and benefits specialisms,
this service benefits from the collaborative approach to role
design and analysis services. Essentially a community of specialist
practitioners, they are happy to collaborate with other education
specialists.
Trowers Hamlins
A major full service national law firm, TH have built a strong
reputation in the education with a focus particularly on the major
projects, PFI, ICT and FM contracts. A small part of the 250+ fee
earner international practice, they bring all of the expertise that
you would expect of a major public sector and governmental
practice to the table, with a solid ‘good people, well resourced’
approach. With particular rainmakers well known for public
private partnership expertise, they have enormous potential in the
sector, although as a premium brand it is unlikely that they will
see the financial opportunities in schools and academies as a
major focus for them going forward.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 80
Quick Comparators
Premium bands: Ashurst; Trowers Hamlins; Penningtons
The firms expecting the highest returns from their rainmakers and top subject experts; ‘reassuringly expensive’.
Value for Money: Bates Wells Braithwaite
Firms delivering packaged and cost effective solutions especially for day to day legal and compliance support.
Investment Capacity: Trowers Hamlins; Ashurst; Anderson Strathern.
The firms with the deepest pockets who could make the biggest impacts here should they so choose.
Buyer’s Favourites: Educate HR; Enlightened HR; B3Sixty.
The firms with the strongest growth track records currently in terms of nett new business achieved.
Project Capacity: Ward Hadaway; Anderson Strathern; Penningtons; Harrison Clark Rickerbys
Firms able to deploy the largest teams from other specialisms, typically property, procurement and government law.
Law Firm Focus: SAS Daniels; Wrigleys; Harrison Clarke Rickerbys
The law firms which are making education law a key part of their brand and committed to service development.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 81
The Chasing Pack: Highly Commended This is a competitive market. There are new teams starting up
all the time, teams breaking away from LEAs, law firms, and
other consultancies, as well as suppliers from other industries
deciding to buy in. It would be unfair to say there are no
dedicated education teams routinely making day to day
revenues under the £1m or even £0.5m mark who do not
deserve your attention – there are several. You should also,
especially on a regional basis consider giving these enthusiastic
specialists and newcomers the support they need where you
can.
We do not prioritise the large law firms here who can bring
together a strong team of specialists from other sectors such
as charity law, property, government contracting, IP or
licensing, etc so some of the larger law firm brands missing
from higher ranks should not surprise.
The ability of key experts to command premiums remains a key
component of the legal profession and there are several
premium plays outside the main rankings who will still offer a
superlative service. National brands such as RPC, Addleshaws,
and Bircham Dyson Bell typify this approach where fees based
on sales per fee earner of £2-300k pa will be typical.
Very often in the third sector and among charity specialists you
will find pragmatism among fee rates alongside attempts to
buy market share. Anthony Collins are a leading brand which
will be outside the core rankings primarily because of their
charity and third sector focus being expressed in empathetic
pricing, or low fee earner expectations in terms of fees
generated pa. Their service range is impressive and local
authority insight considerable and their midlands base gives
them national reach in most cases. Capital Law are a new team
making headway in specialisms and bring both a strong team
and some heavyweight commercial experience to a legacy free
approach. Several regional law firms also bring cost effective
solutions with urban quality levels at regional prices, not least
Porter Dodson in the South West, Brachers in Kent and
Knights/Darby’s in the midlands.
The point about investment capacity (ie having the ability to
spend more than the market needs to build market share
quickly if need be) is the choice to do so. Some large brands
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 82
may be happy to run with key experts commanding premiums
and backing them on a project basis, but the market has
moved on. Many firms like Ashfords, may have ‘deep pockets’,
while in Education services their ambition may have short
arms.
That some of the regulatory consultancies such as Citation
have the capacity to match these medium and large law brands
in addressing the choice here is instructive. To date regulatory
consultancies have been very selective in picking the areas
they compete head to head with law firms, but typically when
they do so, they win. The firms targeting this sector include
ELAS, HR Dept and Ellis Whittam, all able to support national
coverage and with internal specialists in place. ELAS also bring
depth in occupational health to the table and were one of the
first to achieve umbrella status for DBS checking.
It would be odd if the specialist teams in Weightmans did not
push on more into the FE/HE sector, and Schofield Sweeney
have already decided to join the higher ranks given their focus
and approach to service development already – it is just a
matter of time before they break through in the competitive
environment that is Yorkshire. Paris Smith have also already
begun compiling the components necessary to make a strong
competitive pitch; the investment is being deployed shrewdly
and should help them make their mark in the very competitive
south East regions.
The buyers favourites among the chasing pack are also mostly
those offering GRC packaged and fixed fee approaches, often
HR and safety service led. Ellis Whittam, ELAS and HR Dept
are all solid regulatory consulting brands and even HR
Solutions, a traditional HR education specialist, is being
favoured with client attention more than most. EnlightenedHR
in Cambridgeshire, an HR consulting team focusing on this
sector is also one to watch.
The energy and creativity of the AoC team shows potential and
that the Association allows this team significant commercial
freedom is key. AoC Create are essentially a training and
events team, but their consultancy arm has potential with
footholds in all the necessary service specialisms.
Project capacity was the driver of the ‘old law’ market and
many of the larger traditional brands retain this capacity and
facility north and south of the border. The ability of a large law
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 83
firm to bring together teams of experts, fresh from other
sector work giving them insights and other angles to pursue as
well is not to be underestimated. It is a different decision to
buying these services, however, to buying long term day to day
support on a wider range of legal and GRC matters.
That several firms have chosen already to focus more on this
sector and are motoring to carve a niche amongst the ranked
firms above is impressive. HR and regulatory consultancies are
making those decisions too. Buyers should give them a hearing
where their investment and commitment is clear for the long
term.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 84
Quick Comparators
Premium bands: RPC; Addleshaw Goddard; Bircham Dyson Bell; Burgess Salmon; Bevan
Brittan
The firms expecting the highest returns from their rainmakers and top subject experts; ‘reassuringly expensive’.
Value for Money: Porter Dodson; Anthony Collins; Capital Law; Brachers; Knights/Darbys
Firms delivering packaged and cost effective solutions especially for day to day legal and compliance support.
Investment Capacity: Ashfords; Weightmans; Citation; Schofield Sweeney; Bircham Dyson
Bell; Paris Smith
The firms with the deepest pockets who could make the biggest impacts here should they so choose.
Buyer’s Favourites: ELAS; HR Solutions GB; Schofield Sweeney; Ellis Whittam; AoC Create; The
HR Dept, Enlightened HR
The firms with the strongest growth track records currently in terms of nett new business achieved.
Project Capacity: DLA Piper; Ashfords, Weightmans; Anthony Collins; Brodies; Blandy &
Blandy; MMS
Firms able to deploy the largest teams from other specialisms, typically property, procurement and government law.
Law Firm Focus: Schofield Sweeney; Greenwoods; Paris Smith; Sharpe Pritchard; Field
Seymour Parkes
The law firms which are making education law a key part of their brand and committed to service development.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 85
Directory of Suppliers
Clicking on the title of the firm should activate a hyperlink to open the relevant web page.
3BM
A team spun out of the London Boroughs of Hammersmith, Fulham, Kensington,
Chelsea and Westminster, their core services cover SIMS, payroll and finance support
with property support and web support services as well. An experienced team led by
Andy Rennison.
Acuity Legal
A Welsh based commercial law firm with a competence in Public Sector work; a small
team in education, their public sector frameworks and PFI/PPP experience is
significant.
Addleshaw Goddard
A major full service law firm, their UK education specific team is modest but well
supported in all key areas for schools and further education with a particular focus
on property and accommodation issues.
Anderson Strathern
A strong Scottish full service law brand, they bring all of the employment, property
and public sector expertise to the table for schools and colleges.
Anthony Collins
A Birmingham based third and public sector specialist law firm, they are led by Chris
Whittington and offer a fixed fee Edu-Law helpline.
AoC Create
The Association of Colleges is the best example of an association and representative
body which takes the development and delivery of its services to members seriously
and on a commercial basis (despite being charitably established. The training and
events division is a good example of service development here.
Ashfords
A 182 fee earner law practice based in London and the midlands, their education law
team is a significant part of their public sector practice based in Exeter.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 86
Ashurst
A major international law firm, their UK team with Education experience is a small
part of the whole, but able to bring significant major projects skills to the sector.
Ashtons Legal
An east Anglian general practice, they serve both schools and colleges, not least in
Cambridge, and bring both property and PI expertise to the mix and are led by the
commercial property partner, Magnus McManus.
B3Sixty
A great example of a modern legal service specialist team, B3Sixty specialise in
independent investigations and dispute resolution in employment law and education
sectors. Partnering with ECC to cover the comp & ben issues, this team could not
exist if procurement in education law was not matching procurement in legal
services generally.
Baker Small
An employer/school focused boutique, Baker Small are one of a growing band of
independent boutiques doing nothing but education law. Happy to defend schools
robustly if need be against no-win-no-fee claims, their litigation and judicial review
competence is clear. Led by Mark Small, they act for a number of midlands and
London LEAs.
Band Hatton Button
An East Midlands team with a charity law team, Education work is focused around
their corporate partner, Haydn Jones.
Barlow Robbins
A Surrey based full service law firm, their schools team has national reach. The team
is led by Joanna Lada-Walicki with an independent school focus.
Bates Wells Braithwaite
A London based full service commercial law firm, they have an on-line Get Legal
document service for social and charitable enterprises alongside their team led by
Mary Groom.
Berrymans LM
An insurance focused team, BLM are a national firm and their approach to education
comes from a litigation defence perspective.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 87
Bevan Brittan
A public sector and third sector specialist full service law firm, they act for every local
authority in England and their property and major projects experience is unrivalled,
while their education specialisation is tangential to this core.
Bircham Dyson Bell
A London based mid-market firm with a strong focus on sectors including education,
ably led by Penny Chapman.
Birketts
A full service commercial law practice based in Cambridgeshire and East Anglia,
Education law is a key specialism for them led by Chris Barker. They are present on
the Frameworks and appeal to FE colleges and universities.
Blake Morgan
A strong southern England brand, BM are a full service team with significant project
potential in Education and a small core team.
Blandy & Blandy
A Reading based smaller firm, like many regionally based teams on their own patch
they will have a particular appeal. Part of their charities team, services include HR
support, as well as a full range of education specific backed by strong content
marketing services.
Bond Dickinson
Now a 600+ fee earner national law firm, Bond Dickinson are a strong mid-market
brand with education a key sectoral specialism in their public sector team. Team
leaders Emma Moody and Kevin Robertson come from the Charities and
projects/procurement specialisms.
Brachers
A Kent and South East full service mid-market law firm for whom Education is a key
specialism. A creative service approach brings, HR, procurement and safety to the
mix enabling them to punch well above their weight here. One to watch, they have
the potential to extend their reach significantly.
Brodies
A strong Scottish full service and commercial awl firm, their education team can
bring a lot to the projects, while they have yet to build a GRC proposition as the
pressure to do so in Scotland is considerably lower.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 88
Browne Jacobson
A national law firm with a strong reputation in the public sector and with a dedicated
team on education law led by Mark Blois.
bto
A smaller Glasgow commercial law firm, they have a fuller service definition
approach than most with HR and safety components as well as procurement and
contract support.
Burgess Salmon
A leading Bristol based brand, this major firm can handle major projects readily and
bring depth of experience to the wide ranging restructuring projects. Education is a
significant, but small part of the overall firm and their preference for major
commercial projects is well established.
Burnetts
A smaller team, their specialisms in public sector and education work in particular is
impressive, with appeal beyond their Cumbrian base. Led by Natalie Ruane, they
offer a full suite of support services on a traditional law firm model.
Capital Law/People
A comparatively new venture, Capital Law (and its sister HR consultancy Capital
People) are a newly established law firm and HR team for whom Education law is a
chosen specialism. Wales based, the service mix having started from scratch already
includes health and safety and occupational health solutions and strong appeal to
Welsh higher education teams.
Carson McDowell
A Belfast based Northern Irish team, Education is a chosen specialism. In the region
where there are precious few private schools on which to base a day-to-day practice,
higher education demand will be robust. The Education team is led by Declan Magee,
their dispute resolution head.
CEFM
The Centre for Education Management has one of the longest pedigrees as a GRC
consultancy, starting initially with projects for school improvement and turnaround
and coming from a content heavy and HR approach. An innovative team, they have
always avoided over-promising and their occupational health and licensing suites of
services are ground breaking.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 89
Charles Russell Speechleys
A major legal practice based in London, deploying over 430 fee earners in total, the
small education team led by Jennifer Pierce offer a premium service focused on the
Higher and further education sector only.
Citation
A major brand among regulatory consultancies, their HR and safety services for
typically SMEs do translate fairly easily to some schools where the HR and safety
risks are fairly routine. Backed with template documentation and now software
support, the depth of sector experience has yet to develop fully, but they have been
specialists in fixed fee legal compliance for decades already.
Clarkes Legal
A smaller full service commercial law team based in Reading, they take a broader
view than most of legal services and compete with GRC consultancies head to head
in Employment and HR consulting (Employmentbuddy is a content and training rich
HR consulting environment). Their education service is a full spec approach ably led
by Kirstin Parker.
Cripps
A London and the South East based full service commercial law firm, they have a
small team able to bring the traditional law firm services to local schools.
Croner
The law for non-lawyers publishing market used to be dominated by Croner in a wide
range of sectors, but the sheer volume of content marketing material from law firms,
accountancies, banks and financial institutions has virtually wiped this market out.
Croner was best known for its ground breaking Heads Legal Guide, but it has
withered on the vine as the group has migrated
into accountancy software or regulatory
consulting instead. It is not only law firms who
have choices on where to migrate to. Their focus
is now on consulting.
DAC Beachcroft
A major international law practice with over 1400 fee earners, in UK education law
they have a strong presence among the procurement frameworks and a focused
team led by Eve Gregory in their major projects and property team.
Davitt Jones Bould
The number of specialist law firm boutiques continues to rise and DJB are a
commercial property specialist. Not the firm to go to for day-to-day employment law
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 90
work, they can, however, complement other complementary specialists with proven
depth in their chosen major property work.
DLA Piper
One of the strongest global law firm brands, DLA’s education experience is
international and in the UK they can bring significant major project support to the
table as well as deep experience in contracting with government bodies. Able to
deploy large teams to large issues, they are a cost effective option for a global law
firm brand.
DMH Stallard
A London and the south east regionally focused team, their service range for
education is sound and well supported. Led by Simon Bellm the head of their
employment team, this is a traditional law firm offering dependent on the regional
strong personal relationships.
DOHR
An HR consultancy based in Hertfordshire, they have a wide range of services for
SMEs, but led by the founder Donna Obstfeld have diversified into schools and bring
a strong of partners to the table for good measure. A good example of an HR team
innovating in service design and extension to build real depth of service.
Double First-Engage
A good example of the school information management systems sector engage
includes a wide range of modules and use institute and affinity group endorsements
heavily. These databases and document management systems are the core of school
management MIS platforming and increasingly the systems that compliance must
talk to and enhance.
DWF
A north west based brand and a major law firm nationally now, they are a full service
commercial business with a full suite of services in education law from pensions to
intellectual property. Pioneering issues now such as litigation funding and leading
with crisis response illustrates some innovation in the ‘ambulance at the bottom of
the cliff’ service approach.
ECC
A not-for-profit consortium of higher and further education organisations, they
provide confidential job analysis, role evaluation and bespoke compensation and
benefits consultancy to members. In a world where roles can become much more
fluid and pay scales less rigid increasingly, the need for this service will increase.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 91
Educate HR
An HR consultancy established by an experienced school HR advisor, they cover
advice, administration, bespoke recruitment, Governor support and helplines backed
by transparent service levels.
Education Personnel Management
One of the original innovators in delivering HR and school compliance services, the
range of service supplied through portals in HR, payroll and DBS checking from their
Cambridgeshire base is backed by some of the most experienced advisors in the
sector.
ELAS
A leading regulatory consultancy with national reach, ELAS have
the usual HR, employment law and safety services in place for
schools, as well as a range of occupational health and safety
specialisms. A team who offer fixed fee support and insurance backed legal services,
their experience in schools has been ad hoc to date, but growing well, not just in the
North West. They have experience in private, academies and religious schools and
were one of the first to become an umbrella body for CRB/DBS checking. Strengths in
food safety and health surveillance are key.
Ellis Whittam
A Cheshire based regulatory consultancy with fixed fee HR and safety services, as
with the other SME specialists they bring the insured proposition to the table
offering a ‘get out of jail’ card in the event of claims and HR disputes and a growing
range of safety support services.
Empire HR
The regulatory consultancy approach reinvented for the Scottish
market, this team based in Aberdeen have a premium approach
and national reach. Employing ex-education sector staff in their
advisory team is a step ahead of most other fixed fee, insurance
backed teams and welcome as such. Good quality lawyers on fixed
fee services, backed by good IT; this is a rising star in the field.
EnlightenedHR
Many GRC teams, and a few law firms too, use fee-per-document download services
as a key route to market. Enlightened HR have a wide range of templated documents
and the systems in place to upsell from these. Fuller services add on-site support on
top of the DBS, payroll, health & safety and pre-employment checks and their price
per document services are increasingly packaged into fuller suites which are still
available pick-n-nix. An innovative approach, their core is HR services with fixed fee
options and project support to a high level.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 92
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 93
Every/Sandgate/TES
A software core in asset and facilities management core services include contract
management, compliance and strong procurement support.
Eversheds
One of the UK’s biggest law brands, they have one of the largest teams with one of
the most comprehensive marketing and business development approaches and
almost exhaustive coverage of the frameworks. No longer indisputably the largest
provider, their ability to deploy large teams with depth of experience is clear. They
cover all the bases with a very content rich approach to ongoing support. Led by
Diane Gilhooley.
Farrer & Co
The premium brand specialising in private schools and fee paying independents, the
team led by David Smellie are one of the longest standing specialists here.
Field Seymore Parkes
Another solicitors’ firm from the Reading centre of excellence, Kate Burley leads a
team with a very thorough approach to service development. A smaller firm with
solid regional strengths and the ability to stay with clients for the long term.
Flint Bishop
A regional firm in Derbyshire with over 100 fee earners, their small education team is
led by Andrew Nicklin and covers the employment issues well.
Foot Anstey
A southern and south west of England based team, their commercial law services see
Education as a key sector led by Duncan Tringham.
Freeths
A strong mid-market full service law firm with national reach, they target education
as a key sector led by Stephen Pearson and Christopher Sing.
Frontline Data/SLA
The parent software company specialises in on-line property and facilities
management software as well as a wide range of safety compliance systems
(asbestos, fire, water, repairs, etc). Having developed SLA, they now have over 24
local authorities on their SLA online system. SLA Online is a traded services
management system including we design templates and solves a major headache for
LEAs facing the more-from-less challenge.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 94
Fusion HR
A long standing HR and safety specialist team led by Kathryn Birch, they are now
diversifying beyond education as well as extending beyond their Yorkshire home.
Geldards
A midlands and Wales based mid-market law firm with over 150 fee earners, their
education services are well developed for all sections of the Education market. A
commercial and cost effective approach, the team are led by Paul Hilsdon in Derby
and in Wales by Huw Williams. A traditional ‘good people’ approach typified by
Rhian Brace is backed by professional event and content marketing approaches.
Greenwoods
An East of England based team with over 50 fee earners in total, they typify how
smaller law firms can compete with the bigger brands by focusing properly on sector
experience and depth. Led by David Woods theirs is a commercial approach with
particular strengths being ICT advice and income generation support for schools and
colleges. One to watch.
Harrison Clarke Rickerbys
A West Midlands full service law firm, Education is a key part of their charities
practice. HCR can bring depth of experience in commercial property and
employment law issues to the projects, with Claire Thompson bringing particular
experience in immigration to the mix too.
HC Associates
An HR team with a particular education sector competence, they have begun to
diversify into the care sector and the private sector progressively. Led by Helen
Cooper, the HR tam are not generalists but specialists and know employment law
generally, national terms and conditions in particular and best practice. A good
example of what depth of experience looks like compared to generalist HR and
employment law teams.
HCSS (Access)
A financial software team at their core, their depth of experience in education is
impressive and they have just joined the VC led Access Group
Hewitsons
An East Midlands full service law firm with over 120 fee earners and now a presence
in London, Chris Knight leads a team with a well-designed full range of services and a
capped fee retainer service designed for bursar support. A service ranging from over
70 policy and procedures templated to debt recovery support for fee collection, they
typify the Cambridge centre of excellence in education law.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 95
Hill Dickinson
A major full service international firm with over 420 fee earners, they typify the
major projects approach to the education sector and bring considerable depth of
experience in areas such as major capital construction projects. Claiming over 100
education clients, the team is led by David Rawlinson and focuses on the private
sector with brand protection innovations and growing strength in their employment
team led by Kerstie Skeaping.
Howes Percival
An East Midlands based team, HP have launched a branded service, Lawflex,
designed specifically for academies. The service comprises helpline and email
support (up to 30 minutes), annual retainer fixed fees, a dedicated contact and
commercial, property and employment advice. Based on over 150 academy
conversions, the intention to build a sector strength from this is clear. A strong
regional player, they will be hard to beat on their home turf.
HR2HR Schools
A smaller regulatory consultancy focused on Kent, the range of services typifies the
advisory, consulting and training packages favoured by SMEs. They have launched a
dedicated service for schools focused on academies from both per- and post
conversion.
The HR Dept
A nationwide network of HR consultants supported by a strong content, compliance
and marketing team centrally, HR Dept Academic is a tailored package for schools
offering HR and payroll outsourced support. On-site and insurance backed support
brings genuine fixed fee support including cover for tribunal claims. The full HR
service range is well designed covering DBS checks, investigations, EAP, time and
attendance, comp & ben, and OH treatment cost plans. They offer one of the most
fully featured HR support packages around.
HRSolutions GB
A Lincolnshire based HR consultancy offering a full range of helpline, safety, payroll
and support services on a candid service level agreement basis. A DBS umbrella
body, they cover all the core advisory bases well and are branching out to other non-
education sectors too.
JG Poole
One of a small and growing band of education specific legal boutiques Jason Poole
offers a dedicated core team with access to a network of experts to support larger
projects. Poole and Harris offer a high level of strategic advice and an outsourced
general counsel service.
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Judicium
A lawyer led team, originally an SME regulatory consultancy, they have now set the
standard in designing and delivering fixed fee compliance services for schools and
colleges. Services range from HR and payroll to occupational health, safety,
leadership and school improvement support, as well as financial management. Leon
da Costa’s team are one to watch as they prove that a premium service can be
delivered on a regulatory consultancy business model here.
Kitsons
Regional specialists in the South West, Kitsons are a 50+ fee earner team. They list
Education as a key specialism and the team led by Rhodri Davey, their employment
specialist.
Knights/Darby’s
Consolidation in the legal mid-market means regional teams like Darby’s and Knights
merge on a regular basis. The merged team have a presence throughout the
midlands and north east now. Led by Rebecca Kashti the full suite of services is
offered on a traditional law firm model.
Leathes Prior
A Norwich law firm with over 50 fee earners, they bring a fully developed service
range to local clienteles and practical support on all issues from admissions to debt
collection. A good private client brand locally, this is a solid value for money
proposition from a commercial team.
Maclay Murray & Spens (MMS)
A leading Scottish law firm brand with over 180 fee earners, their capacity for major
projects in the education sector is well proven with HR and tribunal support focused
on major projects too. The Education team is led by Amanda Jones, head of
Employment & Pensions.
MacRoberts
A Scottish Commercial Law firm, the Education team face different challenges to
English teams, with challenges to charitable status for the private sector being more
prominent than autonomy, while procurement and traded services are key issues.
The team is led by Robin Corbett, head of Energy, Resources and Transport.
Mentor
RBS is the only retail bank to have had an in-house team helping clients with
compliance services. The Mentor team are their regulatory consultancy and have
always had a strong sectoral approach. RBS/NatWest is a nationwide brand and
service offering a cost effective approach to fixed fee HR and safety support.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 97
Michelmores
An Exeter based commercial firm, Education is an important focus for them at both
school and FE/University levels. A strong advisory pitch led by Anthony Power.
Mills & Reeve
A national law firm with a strong team and a high quality advisor pitch led by Gary
Attle (South) and Richard Sykes (North) with content marketing branded Fusion.
Muckle
A North East based commercial law firm now with over 80 fee earners, their
Education service is led by Tony McPhillips. Focused on academy conversions, they
offer support on employment, contracts, property, construction, governance with
two branded levels of support (MI School and MI Staff). Fixed fee packages start at
£6k for 30 hours of support, and MI Staff pricing is based on £25-40 per employee
pa.
Nelsons
An East Midlands law firm with over 100 fee earners, Education is one their select
group of chosen specialist sectors. Led by Laura Kearsley, their Ian Jones is well
known in the sector. They focus on fixed fee academy conversions supported by a
strong range of content and training support services.
NPW (Newham Partnership)
Newham Partnership Working is a partnership approach to ICT, HR, governor
support and school management support services. A commercial approach in a
mutual framework, their service range is extensive, and covers ICT in some depth.
For a comprehensive approach to school management support, they are impressive
with services ranging from health & safety to radiation protection, manager
networks and first aid. Three years into their new incarnation, they have shown
growth consistently, diversifying beyond regional boundaries.
One Education
Formerly Manchester traded services team, this now independent group offer HR,
payroll, finance, governance and ICT support. One of the widest service ranges on
offer, they are hard to beat for breadth and experience. Expanding regionally too.
Osborne Clarke
A major international commercial law firm with over 700 fee earners, their expertise
comes largely from the major infrastructure projects expertise and their ability to
deploy large experienced teams on PP and major transformations is impressive. As is
typical for firms with this international focus, the day-to-day support seems to be a
lower priority.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 98
Paris Smith
A Southampton based full service law firm, the team led by Nick Vaughan offer a full
range of support services on the traditional law firm model. They are associate
experts for The Key.
Penningtons Manches
A south east England law firm with international aspirations, they have over 220 fee
earners and a strong sectoral focus in developing their services. With a FE and HE
private sector focus, they have extended into other academic research bodies well
with typically strong multi-disciplinary approaches.
Peninsula
The clear leader in smaller SME regulatory consultancy services market,
this strong group now define the fixed fee, insurance backed employment
law, HR and safety service standards, both here and in many
commonwealth countries. Having recently acquired the Croner Consulting
operations, they have service propositions for both 10 employee sites and
now 50+ employee ones too, albeit often on long term contracts. Their
core employment law and HR propositions are fixed fee and
straightforward, while they do now offer higher service levels through the Croner
branded solutions as well as tax, occupational health and related services. A truly
nationwide coverage they are now offering much more than simply repackaged SME
solutions.
Pinsent Masons
A full service international law firm brand with over 1300 fee earners, Universities
and Higher Education is a core specialism for them. As major infrastructure projects
decline their emphasis is on commercialization of assets and relationships in
education, often with an international flavour.
Place Group
Specialists in the BSF projects that hitherto were the preserve of the law firms, Place
are a consultancy now focused on the academies programme alongside devising
their School Buyer’s Club service, a creative approach to helping schools with
procurement issues. Their project management focuses on managing the overlaps
between the various work streams in legal documentation, HR, TUPE, loan and
assets, financial systems, due diligence, payroll and stakeholder engagements.
Porter Dodson
A south west solicitors firm of some 70 fee earners prioritising education through
academy conversions, they typify the approach of many to continued support for
schools thereafter, predominantly in HR and employment support. Fixed fee and
retainer packages are offered by this cost effective team led by Lesley Gaskell.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 99
Rollits
A smaller law firm of some 60 fee earners based in the Humber, their education
sector is fully developed covering everything from governance to pensions, and from
safeguarding to IT contracts. A traditional ‘good people’ approach, their appeal in
Lincolnshire will be strong from the team led by Tom Morrison.
RPC
Describing themselves as a wider remit of ‘professional services firm’, this law firm of
over 300 fee earners has a strong commercial approach, working for many VCs in the
sector, as well as a dispute resolution and commercial property based approach with
clients. A premium service play from a traditional ‘good people’ approach backed by
solid content marketing.
SAS Daniels
A law firm based in the compliance services hot spot around Cheshire, Education is
one of their small list of chosen specialist sectors, and they combine legal and HR
teams for a strong employment and HR range of services for schools and colleges.
SAS Protect is a compliance management systems approach to rival that of the
regulatory consultancies, and in tandem with their Education 360 package brings
genuine sector depth of experience from the team led by Jonathan Whittaker.
Support is genuinely fixed fee on the basis that most clients prefer, ie ‘all-you-can-
eat’.
Schools Advisory Service
An insurance services based teams, SAS have developed innovative absence and
maternity solutions on the back of their strong insurance services base.
Schools HR Co-operative
Formerly HIllingdon’s School HR service, independent since 2011 services include HR,
payroll, recruitment and OH, and the team is led by Mike and Bob Charlton.
Schofield Sweeney
A Leeds/Bradford based law firm with over 30 fee earners, they have a strong
sectoral focus of which Education is one. Alongside academy and other sub-
specialisms, their aptly named ‘Just Teach’ package combines, HR, contractual and
procurement support, SEN, admissions and exclusion support, governance and
company secretarial services. Now online too, the fixed fee approach is backed by
online document management and compliance diary support. Tribunal cover is
offered as an optional extra. Led by Simon Shepherd, this is a great example of how
regional law firms can match and beat regulatory consultancy pitches.
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 100
School Business Services
Cloud based budget management software for schools lies at the heart of the SBS
offering, and the team cover finance, MIS and ICT services for schools. Based in the
south east their reach and appeal is growing strongly. Finance and business packages
are offered on annual contracts, and the shrewdly partner with Place Group and
School Buyers Club to extend their service range into procurement and legal areas.
This is a team that cover off the main worry list items for bursars brilliantly.
Shakespeare Martineau
A Midlands based commercial law team, Education is one of their key focus areas
and a strong team is led by Smita Jamdar.
Sharpe Pritchard
As solicitors and parliamentary agents, SP is a 50+ fee earner smaller firm with strong
niche expertise. One such is a strong education sector focus and deep governmental
insight and experience in areas such as PFI and EFA work. This major projects focus is
exemplified by their education construction specialist team; this is a firm with
genuine differentiation in their specialist focus within the sector; a go-to brand in
complex public sector funding projects.
Stephensons
A nationwide law firm for whom education is a key sector, they offer value for
money and fixed fee approaches such as Workplace Plus and Safe Assist alongside
good sector experience. Having run the helpline for the National Association of
Nurseries, they are comfortable with both affinity group and framework based
channels
Stone King
Undoubtedly a go-to brand in services for schools and colleges, Stone King have
made their education team a pivotal department within their firm overall. Based in
the South West and with over 85 fee earners their appeal is national. Running the
NASBM and FASNA helplines and legal advisory support functions gives them a
uniquely high profile. Services are available on project and retainer bases, and while
ultimately a cost effective solution provider, the depth of experience is impressive.
Strictly Education (ESS)
Strictly Education can justifiably claim leadership in the market and they have
diversified from a payroll core with a range of financial support services very
effectively. Covering all the bases of GRC support including HR, finance, ICT, facilities
and property support, there is typically an informational solution initially with
software and services added as investment timings allow. Formerly part of a VC led
HR software agglomeration, they are now independent following an mbo and in a
position to stretch their lead if they so choose.
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Taylor Vinters
A Cambridge based team of some 80+ fee earners, they are a brand building on their
strengths in technology, investment and private client work. In Education they have
a preference for major projects and assisting colleges with funding from grants to
trading structures. A premium player, they have a broadly traditional approach to
good people combing to provide good project support teams.
Teachers Resource Centre
A subscription based content heavy online resource for schools and colleges on
documentation in compliance, Policies for Schools costs £225pa for 300 model
policies and the School Health & Safety services is £350 for 186 risk assessments and
70 policies. Bundles have now been added for school heads on issue s such as school
improvement, curriculum, and safeguarding.
The Key/WB
Initially a content solution sponsored by Government, this team have migrated to a
full publishing solution with modular support for School Leaders and School
Governors providing subscription Q&A content and toolkits. The WB addition
brought eLearning and CDP support to the mix. Now backed by a VC privately, they
know how to develop services. Solid back-up for those tackling GRC issues on a DIY
basis.
Thorntons
A Scottish law firm with over 130 fee earners, Thorntons are well represented on all
the procurement frameworks and in addition to the usual governance, employment
and procurement solutions offer commercialisation support and immigration
specialists as well.
Trowers Hamlins
A 250+ fee earner full service international law practice, education is a part of their
public sector practice and focused heavily on PFI, BSF, PPP and ICT/FM contract
work. A premium player with this sector depth best represented by Helen Randall.
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Veale Wasbrough Vizards
A 200 fee earner full service law firm, often firms of this scale have teams who can
come together for a sector, but VWV genuinely target this sector as a core
specialism. Represented on four frameworks and four Institutes including the ISBA,
Local Government Lawyers Group and COBIS their breadth of appeal is clearly and
they are close on the heels of the other high visibility law firms such as Stone King,
Browne Jacobson, Mills Reeve, etc and ahead of some of the niche premium brands.
A strong good people approach supported by good content marketing and
professional positioning.
Walker Morris
A 230 fee earner Leeds based full service commercial firm they cover both complex
projects and academy conversions.
Ward Hadaway
Lawyers in the north east with over 240 fee earners they have a good understanding
of the GRC service sector as well as the commercial legal sectors. Part of their public
services team, they have won PFI awards repeatedly while also supporting 200
academies. Led by Tim Care their Public Services partner, they have a very full
service range. Alongside the usual suspects, their HR support is ironically on similar
lines to the regulatory consultancy SME support services, while their safety cover
extends to issues such as food safety.
Weightmans
A major mid-market law firm with over 620 fee earners, their education team
focuses on public sector major works and higher education specialisms. The
framework marketing channels are working well for them.
Working with schools
A Manchester based consultancy with genuine sector depth of experience, the
husband and wife led team offer support in all the core areas, including HR, payroll,
DBS checks and training.
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Winckworth Sherwood
A strong specialist brand well known among religious schools in particular, WS are
already actively partnering with many other suppliers in the sector too.
Wrigleys
A Leeds and Sheffield based smaller firm focusing on key sector strengths, Education
is one and they offer support across the full range of educational specialisms from
FE/HE to free schools. Taking over 600 schools to academy status has meant they
can retain work with over 200. Dr John Mullen leads the HE/FE team, and Chris
Billington the independent sectors.
Wright Hassall
A south midlands team of over 150 fee earners, education is a key sector for them led by Ian
Besant, their employment law partner. Conversant also with the SME HR sector they bring
an HR consultancy team to the mix as well.
XACT
A regulatory consultancy team with a particular strength in safety services, this team while
based in Scotland operate nationwide and sell predominantly through affinity groups and
institutions (albeit not education ones especially yet). Their service mix for schools is more
safety focused than most and content rich.
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Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 105
Education Intermediaries A key battleground in the search for validation, institutes vary from
operating their own compliance support services to endorsements of
preferred suppliers and all points in between. Most are
fundamentally lobbying, representative and (training) standards
bodies for whom member services in compliance are important but
secondary.
Whereas firms like Weightmans, Mills Reeve, Eversheds, Bond
Dickinson, Blake Morgan and DWF major on frameworks, here,
Farrer’s dominate the support services for independent schools,
closely followed by Veale Wasbrough Vizards, Stone King and
Browne King for their services to affinity and membership groups.
AMDIS Admissions, Marketing & Development in Independent Schools
A membership body for independent schools focused on admissions, marketing and
development activities. Members include a strong list of marketing support
specialists and they cover 450+ schools in the UK.
AGBIS Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools
A charitable body promoting the advancement of good governance in the
education sector, since 2002 they have been a merged group. Well known for their
annual Heads and bursar’s salary survey. Strong training and content support is
provided to members as well as legal and practical advice backed by Veal
Wasbrough Vizards and Farrer & Co.
AHUA Association of Heads of University Administration
The association for senior university registrars, COOs and Heads of Administration,
they have 190 members from 140 associations. Their role is representative and
lobbying as well as member events and benefits including a ‘Law Forum’.
Shakespeare Martineau are sponsors and provide the monthly bulletin to members,
with Eversheds, Mills & Reeve, Pinsents, Brymer Legal and Anderson Strathern also
partnering.
AoC Association of Colleges
Close ties to the higher education specialist Association of Colleges, this team offer
an impressive range of training and content support. When associations decide to
do the support services on a commercial footing, AoC Create, for example shows
how good they can be at it. Services include recruitment, training and event
management. The AoC covers 98% of the further education sector with 308
members. Event sponsors Bates Wells Braithwaite are their legal partner.
ASCL Association of School and College Leaders
An active membership and representative body covering 18000 schools, colleges
and system leaders, they have a strong policy flavour. Their legal partner is Browne
Legal Services & GRC Suppliers to Schools and Colleges 106
Jacobson, while the Association provides field officers and in-house solicitor
support.
BESA British Educational Suppliers Association
The British Educational Suppliers Association is a procurement specialist group with a
vast range of suppliers from access control to yearbooks.
BSA Boarding Schools Association
The representative body for boarding schools they service all schools with training,
qualification programs and advice. Advice is backed by Farrers with newcomers
including Harrison Clark Rickerby’s claiming affiliations too.
BUFDG British Universities Finance Directors Group
The representative body for senior finance staff in higher and further education, the
association offers advice, networking and representative services. Member benefits
are focused on payroll and financial issues for obvious reasons, but include guidance
on funding, fraud and procurement too. Freeths have an association with them
currently.
CES Catholic Education Service
The Catholic education service acts on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference and
provides extensive support on employment documentation alongside guidance on
admissions, disqualification and more. There are now 2142 Catholic schools and 450
Catholic academies and the Catholic Church has established Churchmarketplace to
facilitate procurement, including legal services and HR. Leading suppliers to CES
include Winckworth Sherwood and Browne Jacobson.
CofE Schools Church of England Schools
Covering some 4500 CofE primary schools and 200 secondary schools their national
education office offers a range of direct support services. While not affiliated to any
firm in particular, Winckworth Sherwood’s John Rees is registrar to the Archbishop of
Canterbury and legal adviser to the Anglian Consultative Council.
CIPS Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply
The leading professional procurement institute, they have a British Universities Finance
Directors Group (BUFDG) and co-ordinate 11 regional procurement efforts through
university procurement officer support efforts.
CIPFA Academies Public Finance
The professional body for public finance and accountancy, they are supporting
academy financial reporting qualifications currently.
COBIS Council of British International Schools
Covering 268 schools in 76 countries, COBIS is a membership and representative body
offering development, training and event s. Veale Wasborough Vizards and Double
First are ‘supporting members’.
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FAB Federation of Awarding Bodies
The representative body and membership organisation for vocational qualification
awarding bodies in the UK. They offer a legal package in association with Bates
Wells Braithwaite
FASNA Freedom and Autonomy for Schools - Nat
Association
Browne Jacobson and Stone King are supporting members. Browne Jacobson offer
support from £1 per pupil per year on Quickcall (unlimited queries and immediate
answers), as well as fixed fee HR and Academy conversion packages. Stone King
offer a free half hour of advice and 10% discounts on the first piece of work, fixed
fee retainers (ie c£500 off a £5k package) and 10% off academy conversions; free
access to online resources and 50% off the information management audit (ie £2k
reduced to £1k).
GSA Girls School Association
The representative body for independent girls’ schools. Advice comes from Farrers
HMC Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference
The professional association for 282 independent heads, they have a strong
professional development emphasis. Advice comes from Farrers.
IAPS Independent Association of Prep Schools
An association of 650 prep schools internationally, they represent 608 schools in
the UK with a strong training support function. Members are also members of
NAHT and benefit from the Browne Jacobson advice services.
ISA Independent Schools Association
Supporting 380+ head teachers of independent nurseries to sixth form colleges,
Stone King are their existing ‘Gold’ Supplier in legal services, with the Key and
Double First also represented.
ISBA Independent Schools Bursars Association
The independent school bursar’s association, they represent over 1000 schools and
as with all bursar approaches they focus on financial and operational issues in
some depth. Alongside Crow Clark Whitehill and Kingston Smith branching out
from accountancy services and Assurity bringing regulatory consulting safety
specialisms, Barlow Robbins, Farrers, Harrison Clark Rickerby’s, Stone King, Veale
Wasbrough and Wrigley’s have a supportive presence.
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ISC Independent Schools Council
An association of associations, they link 7 associations representing over 1200
schools and providing specialist advisory support. Legal advice comes from Farrers.
LLG Lawyers in Local Government
A merger of the association of Council Secretaries and Solicitors and Solicitors in
Local Government, the LLG operates through regional branches and several special
activity areas, including employment and litigation. Legal support comes from
Weightmans, Anthony Collins, Eversheds, Bevan Brittan, Veale Wasbrough
Vizards and Browne Jacobson.
NAHT National Association of Head Teachers
Affiliated to the TUC, the head Teachers organisation is both a trades union and a
membership representation body. Legal advice is provided by Browne Jacobson.
NASBM National Association of School Business Managers
Existing relationships include Browne Jacobson, Every, HC Associates, HCSS,
HR Solutions (GB), Schools Advisory Service, Stone King, Strictly Education, The Key,
and Veale Wasbrough Vizards.
NGA National Governors Association
A charity which supports Governance in all state funded schools with a lobbying
and content rich support service. Browne Jacobson is an approved partner
SCIS Scottish Council of Independent Schools
The Scottish independent schools council represents 70 schools and is supported in
legal matters by Turcan Connell a team with a strong charity practice, and using
YPO for procurement.
SGOSS Governors for Schools
Another Government sponsored initiative that started as a 6 month pilot and is
now a charity employing 20 staff, their priority is the recruitment of good
governors.
SoH Society of Heads
Representing over 100 independent school heads.
WISC Welsh Independent Schools Council
The umbrella body representing independent schools in Wales.
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