Higher Education

Higher education is undergoing profound change. UK universities and research institutes, globally renowned, are breaking new ground through international partnerships, cross-border research, publishing ventures and technology-led knowledge transfer.

This expansion brings both opportunity and complexity. Institutions are competing for students and research funding on a worldwide stage, immigration rules are shifting for senior staff, and student expectations are high. At the same time, the sector must navigate increasing regulation and greater scrutiny from government, regulators and the public.
Highly ranked by both Chambers UK and The Legal 500, we are recognised as one of the UK’s leading legal advisers to higher education institutions. Our team works alongside universities to address these challenges, helping them maintain their position at home while realising ambitions abroad.

Our legal services for Higher Education

Our work spans the full spectrum of issues that affect the sector. Recent instructions have included:

guiding institutions through governance and constitutional reform
advising on the establishment of overseas campuses and international collaborations
advising universities on major philanthropic donations
negotiating once-in-a-generation real estate acquisitions and property developments
working closely with university HR teams on a range of personnel-related matters - including supporting recruitment of senior leaders where immigration or regulatory hurdles arise, advising on workplace investigations, and on handling significant Employment Tribunal cases
managing safeguarding matters and student welfare concerns
protecting and commercialising research and intellectual property
advising on complex data protection and information law issues, including GDPR compliance
advising on the impact of AI across the university eco-system
support with complex and reputationally significant disputes
support with major IT infrastructure acquisitions

International focus

The drive to expand globally is reshaping higher education. We help universities build partnerships with foreign institutions, set up operations abroad, and attract international students against a backdrop of changing immigration regimes. Working with our global network of trusted firms, we provide seamless cross-border advice on governance, contracts, tax, intellectual property and employment.

Who we work with

We work alongside:

Vice-Chancellors and senior leadership teams
Governing councils and trustees
Registrars and university secretaries
International Directors/Pro-VCs International
In-house legal teams and general counsel
Research directors and commercialisation offices
HR directors and teams
Fund-raising and development teams

Why Farrer & Co

Our clients turn to us because we combine substantial sector knowledge with outstanding technical expertise. We are recognised by both Chambers UK and The Legal 500 for our work in higher education, praised for our ability to handle sensitive and complex matters with insight and care.

We work closely with sector bodies including the Association of University Legal Practitioners (AULP), Universities Human Resources (UHR) and Universities UK International (UUKi), giving us valuable perspective on the issues shaping the sector.

What sets us apart is the breadth of support we can offer: from charity law, governance and reputation management through to property, employment, intellectual property and disputes. Our lawyers bring not only legal skill but also a clear appreciation of the challenges unique to universities - scrutiny from regulators, the weight of public reputation and the need to balance commercial ambition with academic freedom.

Examples of our work

Supporting a long-standing university client on several significant Employment Tribunal claims, involving sensitive allegations of whistleblowing and sex discrimination, and a claim for unfair dismissal. These claims also involved a substantial reputational risk and potential for media interest, which we handled with sensitivity.
Providing advice to a US university looking to establish a fundraising subsidiary in the UK. This involved working closely with our Charities team to advise on governance, cross-border structuring and fundraising compliance.
Advising a high-profile university on the potential disclosure of sensitive, commercial data by a third party, and how to mitigate those risks.
Acting for an elite university on a wide range of major gifts from donors, both from overseas and within the UK. We also advised in relation to releasing or amending restrictions on historic funds.
Advising a Russell Group university on complex IP and contractual queries relating to Open Access policies.
Advising on the commercial, operational, and contractual principles of a major new partnership between a leading university and NHS Trust, which will bring together research, policy and public engagement.
Advising a UK university on the integration of a new student management system.