Pictured above: Mark Blois

Education law specialists at Browne Jacobson are spearheading the government's flagship academy schools initiative after the firm was appointed to its 100th project this month.

Academies are state-funded independent schools which are free from local authority control and have a greater say in managing their finances, shaping the curriculum and setting teachers' pay and conditions.

According to independent legal experts Chambers and Legal 500, Browne Jacobson is one of the country's leading advisers to the education sector.

Mark Blois, Partner and Head of the Education Team at Browne Jacobson, commented: 

"This is a significant milestone for our 25 strong academies team and will go a long way towards enhancing our already excellent national reputation in this field.

"We have been involved in the academies conversion programme since it started back in May last year so we are delighted and immensely proud to have the opportunity to act on so many projects.

"In the last two weeks alone the firm has received more than 20 instructions from schools across the country. 

"The majority of these are through personal recommendation which speaks volumes for our reputation and the quality of work being delivered by the team.

"Over the next few months we expect to be even busier as schools wishing to qualify for extra funding rush to convert before 1st September this year."

For more information about Browne Jacobson, please visit their website here: www.brownejacobson.com