The team at Birketts LLP is well versed in assisting clients in the health, local government and education sectors with a range of matters. The group leverages the expertise of the firm's wider property, litigation and corporate law practices to support NHS trusts, higher education entities and borough and county councils in mandates. Practice head Ruth Neave is active in property and commercial matters, often advising public sector entities in work, while Cambridge-based head of education Abigail Trencher and Norwich-based head of health Matthew Newnham are well regarded for employment law. From Ipswich, Neil Logan Green advises on matters involving housing finance; Richard Eaton handles property litigation.

The Cambridge office of Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP acts as a cornerstone of the firm’s national education practice. The team represents an established client base of prominent higher and further education entities, schools, academies and private education institutions in corporate, charity, regulatory and employment matters. Employment partner Matthew Kelly and Glynne Stanfield, who heads the firm’s international education and corporate governance group, co-head the department. Alice Townley Smith is ‘very calm under pressure, methodical and pragmatic‘. Martyn Robinson left the firm in September 2024.

At Mills & Reeve LLP, Birmingham-based Jill Mason leads the healthcare group, and Martin Priestley in Leeds oversees the education group. However, the firm’s East Anglian presence is well maintained by its Cambridge office, which is home to employment expert Nicola Brown; Poppy Short, who focuses on commercial matters; and Sarah Seed, who is well versed in acting for clients in the not-for-profit sector. In Norwich, Natalie Wade focuses on healthcare M&A matters, and Alex Russell specialises in employment law. Gary Attle left the firm in November 2024.

At Greenwoods, practice head Joanna Scally in Cambridge is well known for her expertise in employment law, which also forms the backbone of Siobhan Thomson's practice. Key areas of instruction include terminations, settlement agreements, complex restructurings, disciplinary issues and matters involving employment terms and conditions. In Peterborough, Claire Banks is part of the corporate and commercial group and often advises education sector clients, including single and multi-academy trusts and independent schools.

Howes Percival LLP's department has established expertise in advising on health, social care and government matters. Under the leadership of Cambridge-based commercial property specialist Michaela Henson and Morris Peacock in Norwich, the team routinely acts for regional and national care home operators, pharmaceutical and medical equipment suppliers, pharmacies and specialist care providers in employment and property cases and transactional work, to name a couple of areas of instruction. Simon Murphy in Cambridge focuses on property litigation, and Oliver Pritchard in Norwich frequently assists NHS clients with mergers and governance matters.

At JG Poole & Co. LLP in Ely, a boutique firm that specialises in higher education matters, the group has extensive experience in advising universities on a wide range of issues, including litigation, commercial matters, procurement, data protection, construction, and property cases. The 'very responsive and client-focused' group is equally adept at handling large-scale student accommodation transactions. Jason Poole heads the practice, in which structured finance specialist Helen Bolton and the 'exceptionally smart and technically gifted' Lucy Poole are names to note. In 2024 Katherine Souter left the firm for an in-house role.

In Cambridge, Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP's team stands out for its 'strength in depth and experience', and its solid track record in acting for prominent clients in the higher education sector. Employment law specialist Hilary Aldred co-heads the practice with charity law expert Virginia Henley. Sophie Whitbread has 'unique knowledge and understanding of education and employment law, and where they crossover'.

SEN Legal has an excellent reputation for its specialist focus on handling special educational needs and disability work in the education sector. Under the leadership of Cambridge-based Hayley Mason-Seager and Nicole Lee, the team has a solid track record in representing parents and young people in cases involving exclusion matters, personal budgets, social care and judicial reviews. The group is also well known for appearing in SEND Tribunal appeals and advising on disability discrimination matters. Richard Nettleton is ‘extremely thorough in his preparation of all cases‘. James Brown and Annabel Moore are names to note. Unless stated otherwise, all named individuals are based in Bury St Edmunds.