Nabarro Nathanson has been appointed as adviser to Nottingham Trent University. The University has appointed the firm for an initial three-year period to provide mainly dispute resolution advice. The firm expects to handle complaints by students as well as employment, IT and intellectual property disputes.

The education work was an offshoot of the firm's public sector team that has evolved into a specialist area. Nabarros has acted for more than 170 local education authorities, acting for 20 – 30 at any given time. It also acts for further education colleges, such as the London Institute, and privately-owned schools.

In addition, the firm acts for universities – including Oxford and Cambridge Colleges and the University of Westminster – for employment work.

The University invited Nabarros to tender for the work after Gerald Khoshnaw, head of commercial litigation for the North, joined the firm last February. The University had known Khoshnaw through his previous firm DLA, which acted for the University.

Khoshnaw said: "The firm has gained a number of significant contracts during the past 12 months spanning all sectors across the UK and as a result we are achieving substantial fee income growth."
Nabarros public sector head Malcolm Iley added: "We have seven or eight tenders under consideration every week."