In the North West, Weightmans LLP is well-regarded for its expertise in the higher education sector and assists with non-contentious and contentious issues. The team in Manchester advises universities in relation to procurement issues, covered by department head Martin Vincent, who is also the key contact for employment issues; as well as student complaints, which are covered by Josh Conroy, who specialises in high-value litigation, and highly sensitive matters such as issues arising from on-campus deaths and suicides. The department also advises on pensions, which is Philip Woolham’s area of expertise in Liverpool, as well as high-profile projects, an area which is covered by projects and commercial lawyer Vincent King in Manchester. In Liverpool, Rose Moss specialises in commercial real estate mandates.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Very easy to get along with, plain English and no jargon and sound trusted advice and guidance.’

  • ‘The team are highly knowledgeable and have worked at pace on a complex project. Responses to questions have always been timely and provide the necessary detail to help inform decisions. The collaboration between the Weightmans team, client and third party has been exceptional, thinking outside the box and weighing up all possibilities to the challenges faced.’

  • ‘Rose Moss has been my key contact at the firm, she has always been open and honest, approachable and friendly, providing invaluable advice throughout development and negotiation of bespoke contracts. Vincent King provided expert advice on bespoke contracts, helping us to make informed decisions and supporting negotiations. Both Vincent and Rose were always willing to accommodate our needs which made working with them much easier.’

Key clients

  • Newcastle University
  • Lancaster University
  • University of Keele
  • London University, SoAS
  • Bath Spa University
  • University of Cumbria
  • Queen Mary University London
  • University of Greenwich
  • The Open University
  • University of Leeds

Work highlights

  • Acting for the University of Cumbria in respect of the £110m new campus development.
  • Acted on behalf of the Open University in preparing, negotiating and agreeing multi-million pound Framework/Master Services Software Agreement and Technology Licensing Agreements.
  • Acted on behalf of SoAS in relation to whether the institution was a contracting authority for the purposes of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Martin Vincent

Other key lawyers

Josh Conroy, Vincent King, Rose Moss, Philip Woolham