Described as the ‘UK’s leading higher education law firm’  Mills & Reeve LLP advises a broad selection of education institutions on work such as mergers and collaborations, liability issues and student accommodation projects. The unit is praised for its ability to handle ’complex and novel transactions’. Martin Priestley heads up the team and has a proven track record of advising universities on complex outsourcings. Stuart Craig expands the team’s expertise in employment mandates.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Mills & Reeve is rightly regarded as the UK's leading higher education law firm. Their strength and depth is unrivalled. They know the sector intimately and provide the technical know-how with a practical flourish.’

  • ‘Martin Priestley is incredibly switched on yet very approachable.’

  • ‘We have received outstanding service from the education practice on an extremely complex and novel transaction. The service has been personable, expert, collaborative and solution-focused.’

  • ‘As a local team they understand the sector and local market very well helping to draw on this expertise to give commercial-centric advice.’

  • ��Highly knowledgable and experienced team, able to provide clear and honest advice on a range of educational matters.'

  • ‘Strong expertise in the education sector and provide legal support and advice across a full range of services to meet the University's needs. Advice is of high quality.’

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Key clients

  • Academies Enterprise Trust
  • Arden University Limited
  • Birmingham City University
  • Bolton College
  • Bournemouth University
  • British Council
  • Buckingham New University
  • Cardiff University
  • Christ Church, Oxford University
  • Christ’s Hospital
  • Coventry University
  • Cranfield University
  • Dragon School Trust Limited
  • Exeter College Oxford
  • Francis Crick Institute Ltd
  • Harrow School
  • King’s College London
  • Kingston University
  • Linacre College Oxford
  • London Business School
  • LTE Group
  • Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Merton College Oxford
  • Nottingham Trent University
  • Oxford Brookes University
  • Oxford University Endowment Management
  • Peterhouse College, Cambridge
  • Queen Mary University of London
  • Royal Veterinary College
  • Sheffield Hallam University
  • Solent University
  • St Dunstan's Educational Foundation
  • St Edmund Hall Oxford
  • St John’s College, Oxford
  • St John's College
  • The Institution of Engineering and Technology
  • The United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation
  • The University of Birmingham
  • The University of Northampton
  • The University of Nottingham
  • TOF Corporate Trustee Limited as Trustee of The Oxford Funds
  • Trinity College, Cambridge
  • University of Bath
  • University of Derby
  • University of East Anglia
  • University of Exeter
  • University of Kent
  • University of Lancaster
  • University of Liverpool
  • University of Manchester
  • University of Oxford
  • University of Salford
  • University of Southampton
  • University of Surrey
  • University of Worcester
  • University of York
  • Wellcome Sanger Institute
  • West Thames College
  • University of York

Work highlights

  • Acting for the University of Hull on the establishment of its London campus.
  • Acting for St George’s Medical School, University of London on its proposed merger with City, University of London in the most significant merger in the sector in the past 20 years.
  • Acting for University of Sussex on a £100m catering outsourcing.

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 Priestley