Browne Jacobson has advised Leep Group on its acquisition of E.Quality Training Limited, strengthening its position as a trusted legal partner to one of the UK's leading training and skills development businesses.

This is the third successive acquisition on which the UK and Ireland law firm has advised Leep Group, having previously acted on its acquisitions of BePro Development and ECTA Training. 

Leep Group is backed by Palatine's Impact Fund. E.Quality Training is a vocational training provider specialising in supporting 16 to 19-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). E.Quality Training delivers Department for Education (DfE)-funded courses in childcare, health and social care, and beauty. 

The Browne Jacobson team was led by Corporate Partner Ryan Brown and supported by Associate Dominic Lees (corporate), Principal Associate James Arnold (tax), Associate Will Hartley (employment) and Partner Tom Cressey (property).

Ryan Brown commented: “This is our third acquisition alongside Leep Group, and our relationship with the business and with Palatine extends well beyond corporate work. That continuity means we can add real value – not just as lawyers who understand the legal issues, but as advisers who understand what Leep is trying to achieve and why it matters.”

Luke Muscat, Co-founder and CEO of Leep Group, said: “The E.Quality Training team is doing critically important work helping young people who have disengaged from education and have yet to enter employment build their skills and confidence. Often these young people are hard to help and hard to reach.

“We look forward to bringing our expertise in delivering training in disciplines such as digital, tech, AI and green skills, so that E.Quality can expand its reach and do more to help these young people find their way into work — while also supporting sectors of the economy facing major skills shortages.”

Browne Jacobson recently won the Legal Adviser of the Year – Deal-making category at the EducationInvestor Awards 2026 following a stellar 12 months of education transactions in which deal volume increased by 20%. 

Notable education sector transactions in 2025/26 included advising Quad Partners-backed The Edwin Group on its acquisition of specialist SEND recruiter Axcis Education; Eureka Education, backed by French PE firm Naxicap Partners, on its acquisition of Knovia Group, one of the UK's foremost apprenticeship and vocational training providers, from Sovereign Capital Partners; and UK PE firm Apiary Capital on several deals including bolt-on acquisitions for national accountancy training provider First Institution and digital learning and compliance training provider LearnPro Group.