National law firm and education sector specialist VWV and strategy consultants Cairneagle are coming together to further boost their combined businesses, EducationInvestor and NMT can reveal

The combination, announced on 16 May 2022, demonstrates both businesses’ ongoing commitment to investment and development as part of their growth and diversification strategy. In the education sector specifically, it enables them to better support clients to determine their strategic direction, giving wider choice, insight and access to a broad range of specialisms.

Cairneagle is a fast growing, multi-award winning business that operates globally.

VWV is a leading legal and business services provider in the education sector with probably the most extensive combined list of school and university clients of any UK law firm.  VWV has a culture of innovation to support its clients beyond simply legal advice and their combination with Cairneagle follows investments in other subsidiaries such as VWV Plus, which has developed online tools to promote and support the compliance and assurance requirements of education providers and other regulated businesses, and HR consultants, Narrow Quay HR.

Barney Northover, VWV head of education commented:

“We are delighted to be welcoming the Cairneagle team to the VWV ‘family’, having worked with them on joint projects for many years.  This collaboration enhances both businesses, helping us to better support our clients in the education sector and its supporting ecosystem, where a deep expertise and understanding of the regulatory environment, challenges and growth opportunities gives us and our clients a competitive edge .  Beyond education, there are many opportunities for developing and diversifying our broader practice and sectors as well as our London location and international profile.”

Cairneagle partner, Arun Kanwar said:

“VWV and Cairneagle have had a longstanding mutual respect, as both organisations share a specialism in the education sector, an unrelenting focus on delivering the very best for our clients, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a focus on our people. Coming together creates an opportunity for each of us to invest in meeting our clients’ ever-changing needs even better, to learn from and support one other, and for our teams to continue to develop and grow. We are very excited about beginning this new chapter for Cairneagle together with VWV.”

The new company will keep the Cairneagle name and become part of the VWV group of subsidiary companies which currently includes VWV Plus and Narrow Quay HR. Cairneagle will also remain in their current office in the West End of London. The Cairneagle partners will continue to work exclusively for, and are retaining equity in, the new company.