Leading education law firm, Veale Wasbrough Vizards (VWV) has scooped the award for Specialist Team of the Year and has been highlighted as one of the UK’s progressive law firms at a prestigious legal conference and awards dinner.
The firm was announced as the winner of the award category by 360 Legal Group, at its annual awards dinner.
360 Legal Group says of the award: "VWV's education team was recognised as Specialist Team of the Year for embarking on a learning curve with a clear strategy to target a specific and growing sector of the market." 360 Legal Group helps law firms across the UK manage and market their practices more successfully as businesses and has over 700 UK law firms as members.
VWV anticipated the political change that led to significant legal work arising from maintained schools being encouraged to convert to academies. The education team invested ahead of that change in relationships with sector associations such as the National Association of School Business Management (NASBM) and was ready ahead of the Academies Act in July 2010 to win work from academy conversions.
VWV provide a range of specialist legal services for schools including a unique fee recovery service, innovative fixed fee products including a market-leading parent contract which was the first of its kind and is now used by more than 700 independent schools, bespoke school policies and Consumer Credit Act-compliant, termly instalment schemes for the payment of fees.
As well as increasing work from state funded schools, VWV has remained focused on the wider education sector and has also maintained historic levels of growth in its work for independent schools, nurseries and higher and further education institutions.
The firm is now positioned as a leading firm in academies work, the schools practice is top ranked nationally in both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 and academies expertise is recognised by the Department of Education (DfE).
Presenting the award, sponsored by SIFA, Brian Middleton of 360 Legal Group said:
“This award is about concentrating on what you do well and how you differentiate yourselves from the rest of the pack. Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a very deserved winner.”
VWV managing partner Simon Heald commented:
"We are delighted to have won this award which recognises our track record of innovation and market leading expertise. Key to our growth in the education sector is long term relationships with clients and prospects and a genuine passion for their work."
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