Expert, practical advice to academies and those converting to academy status
Highly experienced national education team advising on academy governance and conversions
Blake Morgan’s expert Academies team has extensive experience of advising schools, academies, free schools, sixth form colleges, and other education institutions on all aspects of the academy conversion or transfer process and on related governance matters for established academies. Our experience and skills help us to provide a focused, practical, process-driven service.
There are clear advantages to having access to all the legal services which academies need from one firm. We offer an integrated team of education, charity, regulatory, commercial, real estate, employment and pensions lawyers for academies. This means that we are able to deliver advice and training for all the legal needs of academies or those considering academisation.
Get in touch with our Education team
Arrange a call with one of our legal experts. Fill in your details and we'll be in touch.
Main Areas Of Practice
Since the inception of the academy conversion programme, our Academies team has developed an established practice and a reputation for assisting schools through the academy conversion process from start to finish. Our track record on academy work includes:
Academy conversions
We act for sponsors, multi-academy trusts, diocesan authorities, sixth form colleges, schools and local authorities successfully guiding them through the conversion process.
PFI
Our Projects team is highly experienced in advising on PFI and similar funding structures for educational institutions.
Leadership and training
We provide regular training and briefings to governors and senior leadership staff.
Academy Governance
We provide ongoing governance advice on a wide range of matters to academy trust companies, ranging from changes to Articles of Association and key agreements to obtaining relevant consents from the regulators, drafting Schemes of Delegation and other contracts and agreements, and advising on data protection, employment and property matters.
Special Educational / Additional Learning Needs
We provide advice in relation to appeals brought by children, young people, their parents or case friends relating to Special Educational Needs and/or Additional Learning Needs (from 1 Sep 2021 onwards in Wales). From negotiations relating to EHCs, Statements or IDPs in an attempt to avoid an appeal to the Tribunal, to representation at and the administration of Tribunal proceedings (through to appeals to the Upper Tribunal), we have the expertise to assist Local Authorities, CCGs, Health Boards and educational institutions in relation to their roles and responsibilities throughout the process.
Our Clients
We act for a wide range of clients including large multi-academy trust companies (‘MATs’), diocesan authorities, single academy trust companies (‘SATs’), sponsors, charities, schools and sixth form colleges.
Awards And Accolades
Highlights
Our Experts
Related Expertise
BM Insights
The Procurement Act 2023 came into effect on 24th February 2024, promising to bring about the biggest transformation to public procurement in a generation. A year on, what has the...
Read MoreCase Studies
Oxford’s colleges, like our country’s constitution, might be described as having two parts: the dignified and the efficient. Their presence in the city and the community is fundamental, historic, and...
Read MoreWe are delighted to invite you to our NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) in Wales webinar, part of the Public Sector Insights Forum, on Thursday 12 February 2026 from 10am to...
Read MoreArticles
Eve Piffaretti credits an O-level in drama with developing the confidence and communication skills that would later prove invaluable in the courtroom. Years later, she put those skills to more...
Read MoreArticles
The Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) has recently published guidance for the education sector on complying with data protection law when sharing data to safeguard children and young people. This guidance...
Read MoreWe were delighted to host our Information Governance webinar, which was part of our Public Sector Insights Forum. The webinar took place on Tuesday 2nd December 2025 from 10am to...
Read More