BHP Law completes King James I Academy Conversion

5th Jul 2011

Solicitor Elaine McLaine, of BHP Law, who has acted for King James I Academy in its conversion from a local authority school, with Headteacher Nick Grieveson

THE conversion of south west Durham’s first secondary school into an academy has been completed by a regional law firm as part of a growing service to schools.

Solicitors at BHP Law have been working with King James I Community Arts College in Bishop Auckland on the legal aspects of its conversion.

Now known as King James I Academy, the school has taken advantage of the opportunity for greater financial freedoms and the chance to run its own affairs as a new company.

Elaine McLaine, a company law solicitor with a specialism in corporate finance at BHP Law, began working with the college in March this year, just three months ahead of the conversion being finalised.

"We were under pressure to achieve an early conversion due to changes in Department for Education funding and we are delighted to have completed the work in time to allow the governing body to fulfil its plans," said Elaine.

BHP worked in partnership with the academy and educational consultancy AVEC, which provides leadership support, especially in relation to financial and HR issues.

The legal aspects of converting to an academy from being a local authority school include arrangements over property, working on the funding agreement, the transfer of staff under TUPE regulations and forming the new academy company.

Elaine explained: "As with the establishment of any company we carried out due diligence and drew up articles of association, going through these with the governors as they are now directors of the new company.

"We will continue to work with the directors to provide on-going governance training as part of their changed roles."

BHP Law is believed to be the first law firm outside Newcastle and Leeds to complete an academy conversion and is currently working on a further five conversion initiatives.

Nick Grieveson, Headteacher at King James I Academy, said: "We invited four legal firms to present a proposal to us. We chose BHP because they are a local firm, had done their homework on the college and had a good level of understanding of the legislation and potential issues we might face.