Led by Jenny Arrowsmith in Leeds, Irwin Mitchell houses a broad offering. Key names within the practice include Esmat Faiz and Poppy Ford, who handles a diverse range of both contentious and non-contentious employment issues in the education sector, particularly in relation to holiday pay disputes.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Their knowledge of the further education sector makes the team stand out from other legal firms, and their ability to offer pragmatic advice.'

  • ‘Esmat Faiz provides excellent, well-thought-out advice on complex matters. She understands the pressures faced by college groups and offers pragmatic solutions in a personable way. I am grateful for her sage advice.'

  • ‘This is the second year in which we have used Irwin Mitchell for our employment law advice and there is no other team I would look to for support now. They are timely with their responses, friendly and extremely knowledgeable in all areas. The team prioritise taking calls with us to understand the scenario we need support with and are always happy to support us. Their work is always to the highest standards and easy to follow.’

  • ‘Specifically we work with Poppy Ford and Esmat Faiz. Together they are always on hand to offer their advice and are both easily contactable. Their support with writing legal documents and contracts is always fast and to great standard. All in all, we are very happy with the support provided.’

  • 'The team is incredibly supportive, knowledgeable, proactive, and incredibly friendly - a joy to work with.'

  •  'Esmat Faiz and Jenny Arrowsmith are skilled at simplifying complex issues, and explaining how a topic impacts now and also how things may develop.'

Key clients

  • Sir George Monoux Sixth Form College
  • Oakwood School
  • Chichester College Group
  • Association of Colleges
  • The Isle of Wight College
  • Bridgwater & Taunton College

Work highlights

  • Advised Chichester College Group on the full suite of employment law.
  • Advised Oakwood School on the full suite of employment law.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Jenny Arrowsmith

Other key lawyers

Esmat Faiz, Poppy Ford