Legal Services

For the past few years, CPC has outsourced the contract management of its Legal Services framework agreement for various reasons, one of which being capacity internally. We have brought this framework back in-house with a new iteration of the framework. Suppliers awarded are capable of delivering high-quality, cost-effective legal advice and representation to institutions such as schools, academies, colleges, universities, and educational trusts, as well as local authorities and the wider public sector. Suppliers on this framework will cover a broad range of legal areas relevant to the education and the wider public sectors, including but not limited to:

Education Law

• Admissions, exclusions, and appeals
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
• Safeguarding and child protection
• Curriculum and assessment matters
• Ofsted inspection challenges and advice
• Parental complaints and disputes
• Student discipline and behaviour policies

Governance and Regulatory Compliance

• Advice on the constitution and governance of educational institutions
• Compliance with the Education Acts, Academies Act, Equality Act, GDPR, and Freedom of Information
• Support with policy development and statutory duties
• Liaison with DfE, ESFA, Ofsted, and other regulators

Employment and HR Law

• Employment contracts and staff handbooks
• Disciplinary and grievance procedures
• Employment tribunals and dispute resolution
• TUPE advice and organisational restructures
• Trade union negotiations

Property and Estates

• Acquisition, disposal, and leasing of educational premises
• PFI, PPP, and academy estate arrangements
• Land registration and title investigations
• Planning law advice relevant to education settings

Commercial and Contracts

• Drafting and review of commercial contracts and service level agreements
• Procurement advice including Public Contracts Regulations 2015 compliance
• Grant funding and partnership agreements
• ICT and software procurement, licensing and contracts

Corporate and Charities Law

• Academy conversion and re-brokerage legal support
• Group structures including multi-academy trusts (MATs)
• Charity law compliance and governance
• Company secretarial and filings (e.g., Companies House)

Litigation and Dispute Resolution

• Representation in judicial reviews and regulatory challenges
• Contractual disputes
• Debt recovery
• Alternative dispute resolution (ADR), including mediation

Criminal Law

• Damage to property and/or assets
• Fraud and theft
• Cybercrime
• Violence crime