POSITION

PARTNER

DELIVER

Supporting providers to deliver superior student experiences and outcomes

Schools

Running a school is increasingly complex - facing changing community expectations, unique workforce considerations and complex stakeholders and funding models. Schools need to balance staff and student needs, while ensuring they meet governance expectations and obligations – all while considering duty of care, teacher wellbeing and retention, misconduct and reputational risk, digital transformation of the learning model and myriad other issues.

MEET AN EXPERT

Supporting schools

We have a strong national Schools team who have deep expertise in the schools sector. We understand schools and how schools operate – and are able to bring that cross disciplinary understanding to support schools with any legal issue that might arise.

How can we help

We have the depth of experience to assist with navigating the unique challenges and issues impacting government and independent schools across Australia including:

Student welfare and safety

Student welfare: Our legal team specialises in student welfare, covering student discipline, addressing peer-to-peer issues, and handling historical claims with sensitivity and expertise.

Child safety: We are committed to child safety, advising on child protection and mandatory reporting to ensure a secure educational environment.

Discrimination: Our team is experienced in advising regarding discrimination cases, including disability discrimination in education.

Governance and compliance

Corporate governance: We support school boards and councils in achieving best practice governance, ensuring efficient and compliant operations within the education sector.

Tax advisory: We provide tax advice, including FBT and Deductible Gift Recipient arrangements, as well as philanthropic structures tailored to the education sector.

Risk and regulatory: We provide comprehensive risk reviews and ensure compliance with Australian Consumer Law, addressing unfair contract terms.

Corporate restructuring: We specialise in corporate restructuring, incorporating school entities and optimising structures for efficient school operations.

Workplace and employee relations

Workplace relations: From enterprise bargaining to resolving industrial disputes, we provide legal support for contracts, policies, workplace investigations, discrimination, redundancies, and day-to-day workplace relations issues.

Work health and safety: Our expertise covers managing work health and safety concerns, including addressing bullying complaints, incidents, WHS policies, and psychosocial risks.

Migration: We offer guidance on international recruitment, sponsorship of overseas teachers, and compliance with visa holder obligations within the education sector.

Infrastructure and facilities management

Construction: Our legal support extends to construction contracts and project management, ensuring successful school infrastructure development.

Property: We assist with property matters, including purchase, lease, and license arrangements, tailored to meet the needs of educational institutions.

Commercial contracting: Our legal team handles various commercial contracts, including those related to outdoor education, cleaning, canteen operations, and more.

Environment and planning: We navigate planning approvals for school redevelopments, regulatory investigations, property disputes, and heritage matters.

Technology and security

Technology: We offer expertise in technology contracts and cybersecurity, ensuring educational institutions are equipped to navigate the digital landscape effectively and securely.

Privacy: We ensure compliance with privacy regulations, safeguarding sensitive information within educational institutions.

Intellectual property: Our legal experts protect intellectual property and copyright interests, safeguarding educational assets.

AI advisory and governance

AI governance: We help schools stand up fit-for-purpose AI governance frameworks, typically overseen by the Principal with support from the Business Manager and Head of IT.

AI use policies: We draft workplace directions and AI use policies for staff, setting clear boundaries for appropriate and safe use of generative AI in the classroom and administration.

Privacy uplift for GenAI: We review and uplift privacy settings to account for generative AI use, including privacy policy reviews, collection notice updates and privacy impact assessments.

AI literacy and risk training: We deliver AI literacy training for board members, executives and staff, including legal risk awareness to support early issue-spotting.

Other legal services

Dispute resolution: We excel in dispute resolution, helping schools with debt recovery, insolvency, and legal matters that arise.
Finance: Our services include project finance solutions tailored to meet the unique financial needs of educational projects.
Not-for-profit funding: We support schools in meeting not-for-profit funding requirements.

Knowledge and expertise

We work with stakeholders across the education lifecycle – from childcare and early learning providers, government and independent schools, vocational education and training providers, to higher education providers.

Education
Childcare and early learning
Vocational education and training
Higher education

Education

EDUCATION

Childcare and early learning

CHILDCARE AND EARLY LEARNING

Our Childcare and early learning team deliver specialist legal services to domestic and international clients based on a deep understanding of the sector's compliance, funding and regulatory issues. These issues impact buyers, regulators and operators of centre-based day care, including long day care, occasional care, preschools and kindergartens.

We are leaders in best practice with expertise in acquisitions, consolidations and restructures, defending class action claims, and other corporate transactions. Our team have a genuine passion for the sector. They are committed to providing clients with tailored solutions to help them navigate the unique challenges and opportunities arising from ongoing changes and unprecedented disruptions within the sector.

Vocational education and training

Our Vocational education and training team assists registered training organisations, including TAFEs, with all aspects of the regulatory framework. They advise and represent concerning audits, compliance and other regulatory and legal action by the Australian Skills Quality Authority, the Commonwealth Department of Education, State departments of education and training and other regulatory bodies.

We have experience assisting our clients in avoiding tuition assurance breaches, dealing with multiple concurrent regulatory interventions and proceedings, entering the sector and facilitating wind-downs and exits from the sector. Our team can help clients develop strategies to maximise returns on legacy VET FEE-HELP assets while limiting reputational impacts on other parts of the business.

Get in touch with Kylie Diwell

Higher education

HIGHER EDUCATION

Our Higher education team provide specialist legal services based on an in-depth understanding of the complex, unique and high-risk issues facing clients within the sector. Most Australian universities, the peak public and private industry associations, and leading independent higher education providers engage the team on a broad range of sector-specific issues.