When it comes to law firms, specialisation is nothing new, but a firm dedicated exclusively to the education sector? That’s something entirely unique - and it’s happening right here in Rochdale. Founded by local entrepreneurs Dean Hulse and David Yazdi, HY Education Solicitors has become a name synonymous with legal excellence in the education sector. Borne from Rochdale’s own HY Solicitors, their story of creating “the schools only law firm®” is one of northern grit and bold thinking.
A Rochdale vision becomes a UK first
When Dean and David started their own law firm back in 2015, they knew they wanted to be different from the typical high street law firm model. Coming from industry as opposed to traditional private practice, this meant a focus on working with commercial clients and rejecting the offer of services in areas such as wills and probate, family law and personal injury.
As the business grew, one pattern stood out: more and more schools were seeking their help. This in itself was nothing new; schools, like businesses, have to deal with complex issues and have always needed legal support. However, something surprising stood out – there was no law firm in existence that was exclusively dedicated to the sector. David Yazdi recalls: “While many law firms specialised in education, they did so on a departmental basis. By hiving out our education department into a separate firm, we could create a pretty distinct USP, something which is difficult in the legal sector where most things have already been done.”
The education world, like any specialist area, needs lawyers who truly understood schools, speak their language, and can offer advice rooted in the realities of daily school life. David adds: “We call ourselves boutique, but boutique typically means you practice in a niche area of law, e.g. sports law. While aspects of education law are unique, such as SEND, we’ve put a spin on the boutique moniker to say that our specialism is the client, not the law. Essentially, we are a full service law firm but with a focus rooted in the unique characteristics of the client.”
With that insight, Dean and David made a bold decision: to create the UK’s first and only law firm dedicated solely to the education sector. That leap of faith paid off. What began as a Rochdale start-up has grown into a nationally recognised education law firm, serving hundreds of schools and multi-academy trusts across the country.
From start-up to the Legal 500
HY Education Solicitors was granted its licence by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in 2019 and commenced trading in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic. For most new businesses the timing might have seemed disastrous. Schools were closing their doors, uncertainty was everywhere, and the education sector was facing pressures unlike anything seen before. Despite this, in just five years, HY Education Solicitors has achieved what many established firms take decades to do - earning a coveted place in the Legal 500, one of the world’s most respected independent guides to the legal profession.
For the founders, it’s more than an accolade - it’s validation.
“Being recognised by the Legal 500 is a huge honour,” says Dean Hulse. “We are proud Rochdalians and, as far as we are aware, we are the first firm from Rochdale to achieve a ranking.”
The Legal 500 recognition places HY Education among the country’s top firms for education law, next to international juggernauts such as Eversheds Sutherland and Pinsent Masons, but what makes it remarkable is how they’ve done it; without losing their personal touch, their community roots, or their Rochdale accent.
Though their clients stretch all across England, HY Education Solicitors’ heart remains in Rochdale. Their offices at Sandbrook Park, shared with another local success story, Zen Internet, are a symbol of Rochdale’s growing ecosystem of forward-thinking businesses.
“Rochdale is part of our DNA,” says Dean. “You don’t have to be in the City to lead your field and, with the education sector, having a more personable, down to earth approach is really attractive.”
Why schools choose HY
So, why do schools across the country turn to HY Education Solicitors?
The answer lies in their specialism. With over 600 education clients, the firm deals with everything from multi-academy trust formation, mergers, and conversions, to High Court judicial review claims. They also handle the vital everyday issues that keep schools running smoothly - employment and HR, safeguarding, SEND, parental complaints, and data protection.
Unlike generalist firms, HY’s entire model, from its processes to its language, is built around school realities, not legal jargon. That means faster, clearer, and more practical advice. Schools get solutions that are not just legally sound, but operationally smart. “There’s no need for clients to explain their specialist lexicon or acronyms, the team already gets it and we can get straight down to business”, says Dean. In short, at HY they can talk like teachers but think like lawyers.
The firm has grown steadily, recruiting talented solicitors and professionals who share their mission, most of whom are from Rochdale or the surrounding areas. Each new team member is developed not just in their their legal skills, but in terms of their communication, empathy and commitment to the education community. The result is a firm that feels more like a trusted partner than an external consultant - “we can tell clients that we exist solely for them and them alone, that creates an emotional contract stronger than you may typically get in a lawyer/client relationship”, David adds.
Leading the way for the future of education law
HY Education’s journey is far from over. With a growing national footprint, the firm is investing in new recruits and exploring emerging areas such as AI in education governance and compliance.
And their vision for the future? To make HY Education Solicitors a household name in the education sector, trusted by every headteacher, CEO, and school leader in the country.
As they continue to grow, their success shines a light on something bigger - the potential of Rochdale as a hub for innovation, dynamism, and national leadership.
