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  1. Local government
  2. Leading individuals

Leading individuals

Eversheds LLP’s team has ‘excellent acumen and industry knowledge’. It undertakes work for over 200 local authorities, and has particular expertise in large waste management and renewables projects. It advised the North London Waste Authority on its ongoing £3bn waste management PPP project, and is advising Southwark London Borough Council on a groundbreaking, carbon-efficient heating scheme. Judith Barnes heads the team, and Michael Grimes, Peter McCormack and consultant Stephen Cirell are also highly recommended.

Trowers & Hamlins LLP demonstrates ‘a high level of specialist knowledge’. The team represented the London Borough of Newham and West Ham FC in their successful bid to lease and operate the Olympic Stadium following the 2012 games. It also advised the London Borough of Barnet in its innovative, high-profile outsourcing of the authority’s regulatory and development functions, and advised Canterbury City Council, Dover District Council, Shepway District Council and Thanet District Council on their joint ‘super-ALMO’. The ‘excellent’ Helen Randall co-heads the team with Ian Doolittle. The ‘passionate’ Scott Dorling, the ‘innovative’ Michael Mousdale and Malcolm Iley are also recommended.

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP undertakes major regeneration and planning projects for local authorities, as well as restructuring schemes. The team is advising East Sussex County Council on its controversial £100m Bexhill to Hastings link road project, and is also advising Bracknell Forest Borough Council on the redevelopment of its town centre. New client wins include Epping District Borough Council and the Greater London Authority. Andrew Yates heads the team, and Lesley-Anne Avis is also recommended.

Nabarro LLP’s team acted for Sandwell Metropolitan Authority on its £650m waste recycling and street cleansing procurement. It is also acting for Westminster City Council on procurement, PPP, property development and conveyancing matters, as well as its joint venture BSF programme. Stephen Matthew heads the team.

Pinsent Masons LLP’s team has a ‘breadth of knowledge’ and a ‘strong, pragmatic and commercial approach’. The team represents half of the London boroughs, and won two new panel appointments in 2010. It is advising Sutton London Borough Council on its groundbreaking HR shared services project with Merton London Borough Council. Alan Aisbett heads the team. Senior consultant David Taylor has joined the team from DLA Piper UK LLP. Associate Didar Dhillon ‘engenders confidence, respect and trust’.

Addleshaw Goddard LLP acted for Cheshire West and Cheshire Council on the transfer of two-thirds of the council’s leisure business back to the council. The team is currently advising City of London on its procurement and procure-to-pay outsourcing scheme, and the Homes and Communities Agency on varying its £40m funding of the Kidbrooke Vision regeneration scheme in Greenwich. Mike O’Connor co-heads the team with Andrew Pettinger, who is undertaking a part-time secondment at Luton Borough Council.

The ‘impressive’ team at Bevan Brittan LLP acts for over one quarter of the local authorities of England and Wales, including the Local Government Association (a body of 123 local authorities). Peter Keith-Lucas (who has ‘a vast and impressive knowledge of local government law’) co-heads the team with the ‘high-quality’ Bethan Evans. Olwen Dutton, former CEO of the West Midlands Local Government Association, has joined the team.

Herbert Smith LLP undertakes contentious and non-contentious local government work. The team continues to act for the city of Sheffield on the £1bn redevelopment of its retail quarter, and for Bracknell Regeneration Partnership on the joint regeneration project of Bracknell town centre. It also advised the London Development Agency on securing permission from the Secretary of State for the regeneration of Crystal Palace Park. Andrew Lidbetter heads the team, and Richard Forsdyke is also recommended.

Weightmans LLP acts for over 150 local authorities nationally, and is on eight Consortium panels. The ‘practical, robust’ Michael Green acted for the London Borough of Harrow in the landmark Supreme Court case Harrow LBC (Brent LBC and LAML) v Risk Management Partners Ltd. Andrew Cooper successfully defended the local authority in A v Essex County Council. Graeme Creer heads the team.

Bates Wells & Braithwaite London LLP continues to advise councils and local authorities in audit matters and third-sector local government involvement. It represented the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association in its successful judicial review against a local authority. It also recently won a tender by the Department of Energy and Climate Change on the ‘Low Carbon Community Challenge’, and was appointed to the Cabinet Office’s pathfinder mutuals programme. The ‘excellent and practical’ Melanie Carter heads the team.

Beachcroft represents local government ombudsmen throughout the UK, including Northern Ireland, and specialises in judicial review proceedings. The team represented the Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) on the prosecution of Alison Halford for breach of the code of conduct while serving as Assistant Chief Constable of the Merseyside Police. Practice head Tony Child is recommended.

Winckworth Sherwood’s team has ‘wide-ranging expertise’ in procurement, shared services and alternative delivery options, and acts for over 100 local authorities in relation to transfers of services. The team has particular experience in the establishment and use of charitable entities for procurement and regeneration projects, such as the Cornwall Council Heartlands Project, which is supported by £22m from Big Lottery Funding. Joanna Bussell is recommended for her ‘expertise and knowledge in the area and ability to deal with stakeholders’. She co-heads the team with consultant Simon Randall.

Wragge & Co LLP’s team advises on PPP/PFI, waste, procurement, highways planning and regeneration projects. It advised Amey plc on the completion of the £2.7bn Birmingham Highways PFI, and also acted for the local authority in the Supreme Court case Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Limited v Wolverhampton City Council. Other clients include TfL, Mayor of London and the Olympic Park Legacy Company. Practice head Mark Greenburgh ‘absolutely, thoroughly understands local government law’.

Bircham Dyson Bell LLP undertakes work for local authorities and statutory bodies. Recent work includes advising TfL on its cable car scheme; advising on the proposed Northern Line extension to Battersea Power Station; and advising Nottingham City Council on its groundbreaking and controversial workplace parking levy scheme. Robbie Owen heads the department, and is supported by commercial projects head Nick Maltby, who joined from DLA Piper UK LLP.

The ‘client-focused, confident and clear’ team at Burges Salmon LLP advises on joint venture, procurement and commercial contract matters. It acted for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in a site disposal programme that included the first online auction for the Bradwell, Oldbury and Wylfa sites. The team also advised East Devon District Council on six new developments comprising the Exeter and East Devon New Growth Point. Gary Soloman heads the team, which was strengthened by the arrival in 2010 of Tim Heywood from Bevan Brittan LLP.

Mills & Reeve LLP advises on high-level CPOs, and Birmingham-based practice head Nathan Holden regularly provides state aid advice. The team is advising London Borough of Greenwich in its £15m proposed regeneration and redevelopment of three sites at Blackwall Lane and Commerell Street, and has recently been appointed to the London Boroughs Consortium.

The team at SNR Denton advises local authorities and public bodies on joint ventures, mixed-use developments and compulsory purchase orders, and has acted for the likes of the Homes and Communities Agency, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and London Thames Gateway Development Corporation. Nick Mott heads the team.

Sharpe Pritchard advises on a wide range of local government issues, with particular experience in PPP/PFI projects. Recent work includes advising on a £730m PFI project for a mechanical and biological treatment and IVC waste facility. John Sharland is the name to note.

Ashfords LLP advises on PPP/PFI and procurement projects. It advised Torbay Council on its £400m waste joint venture project, and is currently advising Lambeth Borough Council on its revenues, benefits and customer services programme. John Bosworth heads the team, which was appointed to the London Boroughs Consortium in 2010.

The ‘impressive’ team at Ashurst LLP advises on joint venture regeneration schemes and on the exercise of CPOs, and continues to advise London & Continental Railways in relation to the High Speed 1 line. Anthony Curnow and Trevor Goode are the names to note.

Blake Lapthorn advises local authorities on procurement and PPP/PFI projects as well as governance issues. Clients include the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Consultant Mike Kendall heads the team.

Clarkslegal LLP advises on procurement, PPPs and outsourcing schemes for the likes of Swansea Council and Caerphilly County Borough Council. Recent work includes advising on various waste management procurement projects. Kirstin Parker heads the team.

DLA Piper UK LLP advises on planning, statutory agreements, PFI/PPP and major infrastructure projects. Howard Bassford heads the team.

DMH Stallard LLP acts extensively for the London Borough of Croydon and undertakes property and procurement work for the City of Westminster. The team also acts for the Local Government Ombudsman, and was appointed to the Surrey and Sussex Consortia of local authorities. Jenny Thorp heads the team.

Davies Arnold Cooper LLP advises the public and private sector on mixed-use and regeneration projects. Practice head Helen Meyler has recently been advising a district council on EU procurement issues, and the team also advised the London Borough of Greenwich on the £1bn regeneration of the Ferrier Estate in Kidbrooke. It is on the panel for the London Boroughs Consortium. Oliver Emanuel is also a name to note.

Steeles Law LLP advises on regeneration and development schemes. It has recently won a place on the panel of the Sussex Council Consortium. David Merson heads the team.

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