This article discusses issues that schools should be aware of when dealing with allegations of...
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The comprehensive solution to your educational institution’s Legal and HR requirements.
The BL Education Legal and HR Support Service gives educational institutions access to advice, support and guidance on any legal or HR issue that arises. Below is an overview of some of the legal areas we advise and assist on:
AREA | Examples of Advice |
Admissions and appeals |
|
Employment and HR |
|
Exclusions |
|
Pupil Behaviour and discipline |
|
Parent complaints |
|
SEND |
|
Discrimination and the Equality Act 2010 |
|
Safeguarding |
|
Land and buildings |
|
Capital Projects |
|
Dispute resolution |
|
UK GDPR and data protection |
|
Freedom of Information |
|
Governance |
|
Procurement and contracts |
|
Crisis Management |
|
Significant changes to academies and prescribed alterations to maintained schools |
|
School organisation/School collaborations |
|
Regulation and compliance |
|
We offer a choice of two BL Education Legal and HR Support Service retainers. Under both options, all advice is provided by qualified solicitors.
Platinum | Gold |
---|---|
The platinum service is for those who require a higher level of support and expect to require regular legal input. It includes: | The gold service is for those who require light touch legal support and want access to a solicitor for a response to quick questions or for a sense check that can be provided on the telephone. Like with the Platinum service, there is no limit on the number of enquiries. |
Telephone, video conference and written advice on routine enquiries (there is no limit on the number of enquiries) | When instructions fall outside the scope of the BL Education Legal and HR Support Service’s scope of service, discounted fixed fees and estimates will be provided. |
Advice on and reviews of routine documents and correspondence | Template documents, policies, and guidance notes are available to gold retainer clients for a discounted fee. |
Access to template documents, policies and guidance notes | |
Discounted fixed fees and estimates for instructions that fall outside of the BL Education Legal and HR Support Service’s scope of service | |
Discounted rates for our training sessions | |
An annual review meeting at your premises or virtually | |
Access to our Data Protection Quickcall Service | |
Access to our SENCo support quickcall service |
How much advice is included in the retainer? We encourage our clients to contact us about their legal and HR queries. We don’t place a cap on the number of enquires that can be made. We also don’t limit the amount of time that is spent on an enquiry under our retainer services, however as a guide we would expect to spend about an hour on an enquiry under the Platinum retainer service depending on the matter.
If an instruction falls outside the scope of our retainers, for example because it involves a transaction or an on-going dispute, we will provide you with a separate discounted fee estimate or fixed fee (dependant on the matter) and scope of instructions in writing, before we undertake any chargeable work. This ensures you are clear about the work to be undertaken and the costs associated with it. We will not undertake any work that falls outside the scope of a retainer without your express agreement.
We want to ensure that you are obtaining value for money. We will keep track of your usage and provide a breakdown on request of how you have used any retainer service. Where the number of enquiries received indicates that your usage requirements are greater than anticipated by your chosen retainer and the fee associated with it, we may discuss with you a new revised bespoke package.
We invoice for the BL Education Legal and HR Support Service at the start of the retainer year and on the anniversary of the retainer thereafter, should you agree to continue with our annual service.
You can call or email our solicitors directly. You will be given direct email addresses and telephone numbers. We will nominate a main contact for you so that you know where to go, even if you are unsure which member of the Education Team is best to assist you. That contact will ensure you are advised and assisted by the best person in the Education Team for your matter.
We will endeavour to ensure any email or telephone call is acknowledged within one day and substantive advice provided within 2 days of receipt of an enquiry, although we usually provide a substantive response on the same day where possible and will ensure that urgent enquiries are actioned quickly. The Team is available during normal business hours, including during the school holidays. You can contact our Head of Education at any time via his mobile number.
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