With dedicated teams across the education, healthcare and local government sectors, Browne Jacobson LLP is equipped to handle some of the biggest and most complex matters in the market. The team works for significant public and private sector clients, including multi-academy trusts, charities and various government and NHS bodies. Peter Ware is the head of the government sector and is known for his projects and procurement work. Gerard Hanratty leads the health team, specialising in advising clients on their public law obligations. The education team is led by Mark Blois who has a particular focus on governance matters. Leanne Wareham moved to an inhouse role with NHS England.
Public sector in East Midlands
Browne Jacobson LLP
Practice head(s):
Mark Blois
Other key lawyers:
Simon Tait; Heather Caddy
Testimonials
‘Accessibility. Knowledge. Prompt responses.’
‘Mark Blois is excellent.‘
‘Browne Jacobson are very well respected in the education industry and are very knowledgeable with regards to sector specific and wider issues. They have the capacity and ability to effectively support us. They give us valuable insight into emerging threats and opportunities.’
‘Browne Jacobson staff give a personable but professional service, and we have the ability to have open and frank discussions about our challenges. Staff have knowledge in relevant areas that our requests relate to.’
‘Mark Blois has always been supportive and gave very good quality advice.’
Key clients
Midland Heart
Platform housing Ltd
EMH Housing and Regeneration Limited
Nottingham Community Housing Association
Derbyshire County Council
Freeport East
Midlands Net Zero Hub
Derby City Council
Nottingham City Council
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
Derbyshire Fire Authority
Nottinghamshire & City of Nottingham Fire Authority
Leicestershire County Council
Leicester City Council
East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire)
Rutland County Council
Peterborough City Council
Nottingham City Transport Limited
EMH Care and Support
Peak Rural Housing
North West Leicestershire District Council
Derbyshire Dales District Council
Freeths LLP
Taking advantage of the firm’s national framework, the local government team at Freeths LLP is able to handle complex work for local authorities in the East Midlands and across the country. The team is skilled in helping clients navigate the regulatory environment of local government while also advising on all aspects of property work, telecoms and development projects for public sector bodies. Stephen Pearson has extensive experience offering procurement advice and guiding clients through governance investigations. The team is led by Nathan Holden in Birmingham.
Practice head(s):
Nathan Holden
Other key lawyers:
Stephen Pearson; Gillian Roberts; James Hart; Clare Taylor
Testimonials
‘There is real quality in the firm, their ability to understand Local government political environments and to help you to navigate the associated challenges is what sets them apart.’
‘The lawyers are very knowledgeable and experienced in their respective fields and brought new and innovative ways of dealing with the issues.’
‘Their breadth of knowledge and professionalism.’
Key clients
Royal Borough of Greenwich
Buckinghamshire Council
Rushmoor Borough Council
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
North East Lincolnshire Council
East Northamptonshire District Council
Leicester City Council
London Borough of Ealing
Milton Keynes Development Partnership
Solihull MBC
Mansfield District Council
Nottinghamshire County Council
Walsall Council
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
Gloucestershire County Council
Cherwell District Council
Cambridge City Council
Reading Borough Council
Bassetlaw District Council
Broxtowe Borough Council
Derby City Council
Derbyshire Dales District Council
Kent County Council
London Borough of Bromley
Oxford City Council
Telford and Wrekin Council
Shropshire Council
Leicestershire County Council
Milton Keynes Council
Enfield Council
Nottingham City Homes Limited
East Lindsey District Council
Staffordshire County Council
South Cambridgeshire District Council
Bristol City Council
Nottingham Community Housing Association
North Yorkshire County Council
Ashfield District Council
Central Bedfordshire Council
Kirklees Council
West Northamptonshire Council
Charnwood Borough Council
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Rugby Borough Council
Nottingham City Council
Luton Borough Council
Newark & Sherwood District Council
Worcestershire County Council
Plymouth City Council
Somerset County Council
Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council
Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council
York City Council
Folkestone & Hythe District Council
Sheffield City Council
Herefordshire Council
Merton London Borough Council
High Peak Borough Council
Hertfordshire County Council
Boston Borough Council
Bolsover District Council
Rushcliffe Borough Council
Huntingdonshire District Council
East Hertfordshire District Council
Birmingham City Council
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority
Isle of Wight Council
Harborough District Council
London Borough of Sutton
Blaby District Council
Melton Borough Council
Chesterfield Borough Council
Wakefield Metropolitan District Council
Wokingham Borough Council
Bedford Borough Council
North East Derbyshire District Council
Peterborough City Council
Cheshire East Council
Scape Group Ltd
North Northamptonshire Council
Old Bolsover Town Council
Amber Valley Borough Council
Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service
Derbyshire County Council
Erewash Borough Council
Stoke on Trent City Council
Lichfield District Council
Forest of Dean District Council
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Authority
Arc Property Services Partnership Ltd
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority
Welwyn & Hatfield Borough Council
Ashfield Homes Ltd
City of Lincoln Council
Corby Borough Council
Cotswold District Council
Coventry City Council
Daventry District Council
Fenland District Council
Harrogate Borough Council
Kettering Borough Council
Lincolnshire County Council
North Hertfordshire District Council
North Lincolnshire Council
North West Leicestershire District Council
Northampton Borough Council
Nottinghamshire Police Authority
Peak District National Park
Sedgemoor District Council
South Staffordshire Council
Stratford Upon Avon District Council
The Borough of Oadby & Wigston
Transport for the North
West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue
Wolverhampton City Council
Middlesbrough Borough Council
The Council of the Borough of South Tyneside
Durham County Council
Northumberland County Council
Gateshead Council
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Wigan Council
Warrington Borough Council
Cheshire West and Chester Council
Halton Borough Council
South Lakeland District Council
Sefton Council
Allerdale Borough Council
Eden District Council
Cumbria County Council
Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council
London Borough of Hackney
London Borough of Camden
London Borough of Newham
London Borough of Hillingdon
Defence Infrastructure Organisation
The Cornwall Council
Tamworth Borough Council
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service
Mole Valley District Council
Waverley Borough Council
Guildford Borough Council
Runnymede Borough Council
Spelthorne Borough Council
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Leeds City Council
Wakefield Council
Leicestershire County Council
London Borough of Lambeth
West of England Combined Authority
West Midlands Combined Authority
The Police & Crime Commissioner for Kent
Swindon Borough Council
Southampton City Council
Bath and North East Somerset Council
East Sussex County Council
Gravesham Borough Council
Surrey County Council
Orbis Reporting Group
Cornwall Council Reporting Group
Ipswich Borough Assets Limited
London Borough of Havering
Stevenage Borough Council
London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
Exeter City Council
The West Midlands Growth Company
Cambridgeshire County Council
Havant Borough Council
Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
Ware Town Council
Wantage Town Council
Buckinghamshire Advantage
Gloucester City Council
Harlow Council
Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce
Derbyshire Building Control Partnership
Broxbourne Borough Council
Castle Point Borough Council
Darlington Borough Council
Cheltenham Borough Council
Rochford District Council
Ipswich Borough Council
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
Oxford City Housing Limited
South Somerset District Council
Landau Forte Charitable Trust
University of Nottingham
Work highlights
- Advising Gravesham Borough Council on the legality and justification for creating an LLP Investment JV Body and drafting the Members Agreement and other core documentation.
- Advising Waverley Borough Council, Surrey, from Contract Notice and Specification through pre-selection to appointment of bidder including bespoking Standard Sport England agreement related to long-term refurbishment and management of 4 Leisure Centres.
- Advising Shropshire Council on a complex relationship with an Academy Trust including land transfers and advice on DFE procedures related to school closure/opening.
Geldards LLP
Geldards LLP has a strong track record in handling complex and sensitive projects for public sector clients, including those that require collaborations with other public bodies or with the private sector. The team is frequently involved in major infrastructure and regeneration projects, as well as public procurement, subsidy control and data protection matters. The team has a strong reputation for acting on large scale and complex regeneration and infrastructure projects. Newly-promoted partner Clare Hardy advises on a range of governance, procurement and administrative law issues.
Practice head(s):
David Williams
Other key lawyers:
Paul Hilsdon; Chris Hawrylak; Clare Hardy
Testimonials
‘They really understand local government, its requirements and how to achieve its objectives. Their assistance has been excellent.’
‘Clare Hardy is clear, pragmatic, and has outstanding attention to detail.’
Key clients
Burnley Borough Council
Warrington Borough Council
Derby City Council
Derbyshire County Council
Milton Keynes Borough Council
Carlisle City Council
Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council
Rushmoor Borough Council
South Staffordshire District Council
Leeds City Council
Redditch Borough Council
Tees Valley Combined Authority
City of York Council
Isle of Wight Council
Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council
The Council of the City of Wakefield
South Derbyshire District Council
Nottinghamshire County Council
Cheshire West and Chester Council
Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
Copeland Borough Council
South Lakeland District Council
Eden District Council
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council
Lancaster City Council
Work highlights
- Advising Derbyshire County Council on the South Derbyshire Growth Zone (“SDGZ”) Project.
- Advising Warrington Borough Council on the acquisition of a solar farm at Doncaster, having previously advised the Council on the acquisition of solar farms at Hull, York and Cirencester.
Wilkin Chapman LLP
Wilkin Chapman LLP is known for its role in conducting the most complex and politically sensitive investigations into local government and other public sector bodies. Additionally, the team is experienced in advising internal drainage boards on governance, land drainage and information governance. Jonathan Goolden leads the team, regularly advising large public bodies on high profile investigations. Estelle Culligan joined the team in August 2022, having previously served as monitoring officer in councils across the UK.
Practice head(s):
Jonathan Goolden
Other key lawyers:
Estelle Culligan
Key clients
Cambridgeshire County Council
Somerset County Council
Middlesbrough Council
Broads Authority
Cheshire East Council
South Holland District Council
Water Management Alliance
Somerset Drainage Board Consortium
Work highlights
- Performed the role of Investigation Officer (IO) for Cambridgeshire County Council in relation to recommendations arising from an external audit of allegations against a former Councillor.
- Advised Cheshire East Council on how to approach a hearing following the infamous Zoom meeting.
- Acted as Monitoring Officer (MO) and as Deputy Monitoring Officer (DMO) to the Broads Authority.
Flint Bishop LLP
The education team at Flint Bishop LLP offers support to a wide range of educational establishments, including nurseries, secondary schools, universities and after school clubs. Additionally, the firm acts for a number of large multi-academy trusts on matters concerning academy conversions and re-brokerages. Practice head Louise Easthope is experienced in all forms of contentious and non-contentious employment matters for clients in the education sector.
Practice head(s):
Louise Easthope
Other key lawyers:
Haroon Younis; Briony McDermott
Key clients
Embark Federation
DCG
The Rutland Learning Trust
Central Co-operative Learning Trust
The SENAD Group
The University of Derby
Derby Teaching Schools Alliance
Odyssey Collaborative Trust
Birkett House
Howes Percival LLP
Howes Percival LLP acts for a range of prominent public sector clients across the education, healthcare and social housing sectors. This includes universities and colleges, as well as care home operators and specialist care providers. The team handles a wide array of matters relating to employment, construction, data protection and property. Oliver Pritchard is an expert in advising NHS clients on mergers and governance clients, while Graham Irons handles employment matters in the education sector.
Practice head(s):
Oliver Pritchard; Graham Irons
Key clients
Anchor Carehomes Limited
Anchor Hanover Group
BHR Pharmaceuticals Limited
De Montfort University
EMCare
Enterprise Retirement Living
E-Surgery / Total Access Health
HSBC
Learners Trust
Medigold Health Consultancy Limited
Milton Keynes College
P J Care Limited
Polyco Healthline
St Matthews Healthcare
University of Coventry
Work highlights
- Advised a further education college in relation to a disciplinary process in relation to a senior post holder.
- Advised a university on a contract with the regional NHS Foundation Trust for the provision of medical facilities to the trust.