Education Law for Universities, Schools & Regulators

Holmes provide clear, practical advice to universities, technological universities, schools, Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and other public education bodies across Ireland. Our work spans governance and compliance, student and learner matters, procurement and commercial arrangements, and research and collaboration agreements.

Our Education team understands the regulatory, operational and reputational pressures facing education providers and public bodies. We deliver focused legal advice that supports effective decision-making, manages risk and enables institutions to meet their statutory and policy obligations with confidence.

Trusted Legal Advisors to Ireland’s Education Sector

We advise education bodies at every level of the sector, including universities, schools and ETBs, on both day-to-day operational issues and strategic initiatives.

Our core areas of work include:

• Student, learner and apprentice matters: complaints and disciplinary processes, academic appeals, fair admissions, equality and discrimination issues, judicial review, and data protection/FOI (including access requests).
• Governance and compliance: Boards of Management and ETB boards and committees, governance handbooks, director and trustee duties, conflicts of interest, regulatory change, FOI and data protection compliance.
• Procurement and public-sector compliance: advice on procurement frameworks, tender processes, contract awards, governance and risk management for public education bodies.
• Research, innovation and commercialisation: collaboration and funding agreements, IP ownership and licensing, state-aid and competition considerations, and materials transfer agreements.

Student Matters & Discipline

Holmes support universities, schools and ETB-run colleges and training centres across the full student and learner lifecycle. Our advice covers complaints and disciplinary procedures, academic appeals and fair admissions processes, equality and discrimination issues, judicial review, and compliance with data protection and FOI obligations.

We focus on ensuring that processes are fair, robust and defensible, while remaining practical and proportionate for institutions operating in complex regulatory environments.

Governance & Compliance

Our work includes governance handbooks and policies, advice on director and trustee duties and conflicts of interest, remuneration and audit committee frameworks, and compliance with statutory obligations and Codes of Practice applicable to public bodies. We also advise on FOI and data protection frameworks and support institutions in the practical implementation of regulatory and policy change.

Research, Innovation & Commercialisation

We advise on research and collaboration agreements for universities and other public education bodies, including industry-sponsored projects and publicly funded research. Our work covers IP ownership and licensing, public-funding terms, state-aid and competition considerations, and materials transfer agreements.

Our approach is designed to protect academic freedom while safeguarding institutional value and ensuring compliance with public-sector requirements.

Strategic Sector Insight

Our partners serve on boards and committees across the education and public sectors, giving us early visibility on emerging legal and regulatory challenges. We translate that insight into proactive, pragmatic advice that helps education institutions and ETBs navigate risk, change and increasing regulatory scrutiny.

Recent Work within the Education Sector

• Represented a third-level institution in a High Court defamation dispute arising from student work placements in Asia, addressing defences, duties owed to students, placement-provider relationships and jurisdiction and conflict-of-laws issues.
• Drafted a corporate governance handbook for a university subsidiary covering director duties, conflicts of interest, and remuneration and audit committee policies.
• Advised a third-level institution on recurring corporate governance matters, including participation at sub-committee level for ongoing support.
• Advising Education and Training Board (ETB) on the use of national and sectoral procurement frameworks for the procurement of professional and operational services, including governance, compliance and risk allocation considerations.

Integrated Support for Your Institution

We coordinate the right specialists across our firm so universities, schools and ETBs can manage risk and keep operations running smoothly.

Employment & Education HR

• Resolving staff issues, managing protected disclosures and supporting compliant organisational change.

Data Protection & Privacy

Responding to Freedom of Information and data subject access requests, and embedding robust, compliant data practices.

Litigation & Disputes

• Settling matters early through negotiation and mediation and acting decisively in court where required.

Your Legal Partner in Education

Holmes is a trusted legal advisor to education institutions across Ireland, with deep experience supporting universities, schools and regulators on governance, student matters, FOI/data protection and research activity. Our team brings sector insight, regulatory expertise and a practical understanding of how education institutions operate.

If you would like advice on student discipline, governance and compliance, FOI or research and collaboration agreements, speak with a member of our Education Law team for a confidential discussion.