Higher Education Commercial Lawyers
Higher Education Institutions regularly enter into a broad range of commercial contracts, from research contracts to joint ventures with overseas institutions.
Quick Enquiry
Our commercial lawyers can provide support from drafting agreements to resolving commercial contract disputes, including specialist advice on procurement, charity law, governance, tax, financing, data protection and freedom of information and intellectual property. Our advice is always underpinned by a clear understanding of the legal and commercial risks and a strategy for how they can be mitigated.
How can we help?
Our work for higher education institutions includes:
- Advising on contracts licensing the use of UK university names and branding by overseas institutions.
- Drafting and negotiating a wide range of contracts relating to research collaborations and exploitation of resulting intellectual property.
- Advising on collaborations and knowledge transfer between HEIs and commercial entities.
- Advising on IT contracts including major software implementation, ongoing support for infrastructure and network replacement projects.
- Advising on outsourcing and other contracting arrangements.
- Advising on collaborative projects and structures between HEIs and other institutions in the UK and internationally.
- Advising on the charity and tax law implications of research by HEIs and, in particular, the Charity Commission's guidance on charitable and non-charitable research (including commercial sponsorship, contract research and joint ventures) and the agreed guidelines on the corporation tax treatment of UK universities.
- Advising on charity law and tax implications of non-primary purpose trading, including the establishment, financing, governance and operation of trading subsidiaries.
- Advising HEIs on the exploitation of research using spin-out companies, including technology transfer, as well as our role as lawyers in residence with SetSquared. We advise on establishing companies, funding arrangements, employee incentives, the ownership of intellectual property and all associated charity law and commercial implications.
The team at VWV was professional, responsive and supportive in providing advice in a fast moving and cutting edge area of law. The level of resource made available was exceptional (while competitively priced) and the focus of all the team was unstintingly to support the University and protect its reputation.
For specialist legal advice and support with higher education sector commercial contracts, please contact Doug Locke on 0117 314 5602.