Universities face an ongoing stream of difficult casework, evolving regulatory requirements, and the work of keeping investigation policies and processes in good shape. You may not need a full investigation or a formal consultancy review, but you may benefit from expert input.
The Retainer gives you direct access to specialist expertise throughout the year for a fixed annual fee. You can draw on it for case guidance, policy questions, process queries, or informal consultancy at the pace that suits you.
Retainer clients receive a priority response and a discount on any full investigations or training commissioned separately.
What’s included
The retainer is built around a bank of advisory hours, available to draw down across the academic year. These can be used for:
- Case guidance — talking through a complex or sensitive case before or during an investigation.
- Policy advice — reviewing a specific clause, or advising more broadly on alignment with the OIA Good Practice Framework or OfS conditions of registration.
- Process questions — guidance on procedure, timelines, or how to handle a specific situation.
- Informal consultancy — thinking through a systemic issue or emerging area of concern.
- Document review — reviewing a short procedural document, letter, or process note.
Advisory hours are not intended to cover conducting a formal investigation or delivering a full training course. Both remain available to retainer clients at the discounted rates set out below.
Advisory retainer: £2,200 per year
15 hours of advisory time available across the academic year. Suitable for institutions that want a reliable point of contact for case guidance and policy questions without committing to a larger package.
- 15 advisory hours per year
- Priority response within two working days
- 10% discount on investigations booked separately
- 10% discount on training booked separately
- Hours do not roll over to the following year
Partnership retainer: £4,200 per year
30 hours of advisory time available across the academic year, plus a larger discount for investigations and the investigator training package.
- 30 advisory hours per year
- One half-day training session included (up to three hours, up to 15 staff)
- Same-day response where possible, or within one working day
- 15% discount on investigations booked separately
- 15% discount on training booked separately
- Hours do not roll over to the following year
Why a retainer?
The value of a retainer is not just in the hours, it is in having a specialist you can contact quickly when something difficult lands on your desk. Serious casework doesn’t always arrive at a convenient moment and knowing that expert support is already in place can make a real difference to how your team responds.
A retainer also gives you a predictable annual cost that is easy to budget for and a working relationship with someone who already understands your context rather than starting from scratch each time.
Get in touch
Every institution is different and I’m happy to talk through which tier might be the better fit before any commitment is made. Please contact me with a brief outline of your needs and I will get back to you to arrange a no-obligation conversation.