Pinsent Masons LLP

Pinsent Masons LLP excels at advising universities and other higher education providers on commercial operations and projects, with the team having been instructed on some of the highest-value student accommodation schemes, funding and financing initiatives, research developments, and M&A transactions. The firm is also well-equipped to handle contentious mandates, having acted for clients in a number of disputes related to contract breach claims, dismissals, and strike actions. Victoria Goddard, a property expert who regularly advises on the development, acquisition, and disposal of major student accommodation projects, is based in Leeds and heads the national team. Also in Leeds, Julian Sladdin is the key contact for the team’s litigation work and has successfully defended leading universities in a number of high-profile group litigations and judicial reviews. In Birmingham, employment lawyers Helen Corden and Rebecca Stephen are noted for their work on industrial relations, including high-profile claims related to discrimination, and Gayle Ditchburn is noted for her expertise on structuring and governance issues. London-based banking expert Alexis Hayworth is also a key contact, with a particularly strong reputation for advising universities on sustainability financing matters.