Appointed Top Spot on LUPC’s Legal Services Framework

We are delighted to have secured the number one position as the highest-ranked full-service law firm under Lot 1c on the London Universities Purchasing Consortium (LUPC) framework agreement for the provision of legal services across England and Wales.

Joining 15 other firms on the £45 million framework, which will run from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2028, with the possibility of a two-year extension.

The framework is designed to support a diverse community of universities and colleges across both the higher and further education sectors, along with not-for-profit organisations operating in education, the arts, science, charity and the wider public sector.

Smita Jamdar, partner and head of education, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed to the LUPC legal services framework.

“Working with universities, colleges and not-for-profit organisations is at the heart of our practice, and this appointment recognises our long-standing commitment to supporting the sector through its many opportunities and challenges.

“We look forward to partnering with LUPC members to provide responsive, practical and forward-thinking advice that helps them thrive in a rapidly changing environment.”

Appointed firms will provide services that meet the needs of institutions with in-house legal teams, as well as those with no internal legal resource. Support ranges from small transactional matters and project-specific work to long-term strategic advice.

The framework aims to offer members access to a broad mix of firms with varied cultures, specialisms and resources, while creating opportunities for SME practices and flexible call-off options to meet members’ evolving needs.

Roy Dennis, senior category manager at LUPC, said: “The Shakespeare Martineau team have been successfully awarded to the LUPC legal services framework and continue to be ranked highest within their lot.

“Their experience and quality in the sector will continue to support existing members and benefit the wider membership across a broad range of legal practice areas throughout the term of the framework.”

Our appointment builds on its deep-rooted commitment to the education sector, acting for more than 100 further and higher education institutions, offering guidance on governance and constitutional matters, regulatory compliance and investigations, student-related disputes, supplier and partner disputes major capital projects and estates master planning, employment, and strategic partnerships.