Legal Services provide in-house legal advice to the University. As part of providing that advice, our work involves a number of key aspects and themes including:
- Knowledge transfer – equipping colleagues to spot and address straightforward legal issues through the provision of templates, toolkits and training;
- Horizon-scanning – understanding forthcoming legislation and raising awareness of the practical implications for the University. This is often undertaken in conjunction with our external lawyers and relevant sector bodies;
- Strategic projects – involvement at an early stage in the planning of major University-wide projects and initiatives, whether related to research, teaching and infrastructure matters;
- Compliance – ensuring that the University meets certain statutory obligations (in accordance with the University’s Scheme of Delegation) and assisting other teams and departments with their compliance issues;
- Dealing with routine enquiries on legal issues affecting the University.
Nicola Cardenas Blanco
Director of Legal Services
“We're proud to support innovation at the University, such as the ground-breaking University Training School, and enjoy the new legal challenges these pioneering developments bring.”
Advice is provided on a wide range of issues including the following although this list is not exhaustive:
- The many contracts which the University enters into (including issues relating to procurement, intellectual property, and research contracts)
- Property matters
- International collaborations
- Employment
- Equality legislation
- Licensing
- Charitable and corporate governance matters,
- Drafting policies and Regulations,
- Legal issues arising in student appeals, discipline cases and Fitness to Practise,
- The Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act,
- Child Protection issues.
If you have any serious concern about malpractice or impropriety which is in the public interest, please refer to the Whistleblowing Policy (Word 48KB).
There are many legal issues that arise where the first point of contact should be with the relevant team in Professional Services, e.g. HR for staffing matters, Procurement for purchasing. However if your query cannot be dealt with through other routes, please complete an Advice Request Form (login required) and forward this to legalservices@contacts.bham.ac.uk.
Solicitors within Legal Services can act as Commissioners for Oaths and swear documents for both staff and students; however Legal Services cannot advise individual members of staff or students in personal matters.