The Legal 500

United Kingdom > South West > Public sector

Editorial sections

Other

All countries

Education

Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a ‘leading light’ in the sector and has acted on many high-profile academy conversions and school mergers. Clients include Rugby School, Roedean, and Bristol Grammar School. Practice head Barney Northover is recommended, as are Simon Bevan for educational employment and Yvonne Spencer and John Deakin for pastoral matters.

‘Excellent in all respects’, Rickerbys LLP advised the University of Gloucestershire on selling London property and on employment matters. Other clients include Cheltenham Ladies’ College. Team head Alice Reeve provides ‘excellent knowledge and good commercial advice’.

Stone King LLP has acted on many academy conversions and defended schools regarding their selection procedures. Roger Inman heads the team and is well regarded for his ‘excellent knowledge, approachability and good advice’.

Helen Tucker’s ‘efficient and hardworking’ team at Ashfords LLP acted for The Cathedral School in Llandaff on various discrimination matters and for other clients on redevelopment plans.

Maintaining a ‘high service level’, Martin Howe’s team at Bevan Brittan LLP has a notable niche in BSF projects. It acted for Sandwell MBC in seeking a judicial review of BSF cancellation. The practice also acts on many school conversions.

Bettina Rigg’s team at Bond Pearce LLP acts for many higher education institutions, such as advising Southampton Solent University on real estate, employment and student disciplinary issues. Other clients include the University of Portsmouth and Cornwall College.

At Burges Salmon LLP, Roger Bull’s group provides wide-ranging advice to clients including the University of Bristol, Imperial College London, and Bath Spa University.

Foot Anstey offers ‘exceptional advice and guidance’ to clients including Exeter College and Cornwall College of Further Education. Julia Green’s team has much experience in academy conversions.

The well-respected John Clarke heads a team at Maitland Walker LLP, which has expertise in the independent sector where it represents many high-profile institutions.

Stones Solicitors LLP’s Paul Keeling represents individuals in litigation.

Wilsons’ ‘always excellent’ team represents many independent schools, and advises on school conversions. Stephen Oxley heads the group.

Health

Beachcroft’s health practice is ‘excellent’, and a ‘first stop’ for clients. Nigel Montgomery heads the team, which acted for Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust on its merger with Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust. Other clients include Alliance Medical Limited, Bupa, and Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. Katy Horner and Malcolm Austwick are also recommended.

Bevan Brittan LLP’s ‘superb, professional and responsive’ team is headed by Stephen Hughes, and acted for North Bristol NHS Trust on the £430m redevelopment of Southmead Hospital. As part of the Transforming Community Services agenda, it has advised PCTs, NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts on 27 schemes across the country. Joanna Lloyd provides the ‘best possible’ support.

Lester Aldridge LLP acts for independent health and social care services providers, and advises on partnership agreements among medical practices. Clients include Southern Cross Healthcare, Jewish Care and the National Care Association. Peter Grose and Jeremy Allin are recommended.

Veale Wasbrough Vizards’ ‘client-centred’ approach is popular. The firm represents many health sector clients, particularly regarding social work and partnership agreements in general practices. Clients appreciate Ben Willis and Rebecca Beardsley’s ‘great knowledge, built up over many years’.

Pierce Glynn Solicitors’ Adam Hundt has ‘great judgement and expertise’ in health matters, and ‘battles hard’ for clients. Specialisms include representing healthcare professionals against health authorities, and claimants in public interest litigation.

Rickerbys LLP provides ‘excellent and speedy’ responses. Derek Jones is able to ‘challenge public sector inequalities’ for clients; and the team provides ‘sound’ regulatory advice to many care sector clients. Team head Louise Crook is ‘approachable, with a high level of industry knowledge’.

Local government

Bevan Brittan LLP’s team is headed by the ‘outstanding’ Bethan Evans, and has an enviable reputation. Areas of expertise include shared services, outsourcing, asset rationalisation, employment, and probity and standards. Clients include Bristol City Council, Plymouth City Council, Cornwall Council and Stroud District Council. Peter Keith-Lucas is ‘highly admired’.

Ashfords LLP’s ‘excellent’ team has ‘demonstrable expertise’ in many areas. It advised Shepway District Council in negotiating a s106 agreement concerning a proposed runway extension and a new terminal at an airport. Other clients include Torbay Council and Lambeth LBC. Team head John Bosworth gives ‘sound advice, and is calm and unflappable’.

Giles Taylor heads the team at Beachcroft, which also includes Tom Baker. The group advised Somerset County Council on the procurement of a leisure facility, and advises key client Dorset County Council on procurement, contracts and litigation.

Bond Pearce LLP has been assisting Reading Borough Council on the redevelopment of Chatham Street, and advised new client Greenwich LBC on a £35m district heating project. Richard Guyatt and practice head Jonathan Bower are recommended.

Ben Pariser’s team at Clarke Willmott LLP advised South West of England RDA on the 55-acre Bristol and Bath Science Park regeneration scheme, and Stroud District Council on the Brimscombe Port regeneration project. Other clients include London and Kent Boroughs Consortium. Stephen Rosser is highly recommended.

Michelmores LLP’s group is led by Carol McCormack OBE, and acts on matters including construction, contracts, employment, IT and outsourcing. The group acts for West Dorset District Council on many of its s106 agreements, and advised the London Borough of Islington on a proposed redevelopment. Other clients include Devon County Council.

Burges Salmon LLP’s cross-departmental group provides an ‘excellent, tailor-made’ service, with expertise in planning, commercial property, procurement and contracts. Gary Soloman is ‘knowledgeable and experienced’.

Davitt Jones Bould acts on many planning and property matters for local authorities, recently advising Wirral MBC on a dispute with the Crown Estate over the ownership of foreshore at Wallasey, and Wiltshire Council on a disposal of land at Marlborough. Madeleine Davitt heads the team, which has gained a raft of new local and central government clients.

Pinsent Masons LLP acted for Bournemouth BC on its LABV for the phased delivery of regeneration across 16 sites in Bournemouth town centre. Other clients include Bath and North East Somerset Council. Mark Collingwood heads the team.

Veale Wasbrough Vizards’ Simon Baker ‘exudes professionalism and expertise’, and heads a team that is ‘acute, well grounded and committed to the client’. It is now on the panel of six Oxfordshire local authorities.

Follett Stock’s Richard Scrase heads a notable public law litigation group that has acted on several high-profile matters in the South West.

Foot Anstey provides an ‘excellent level of service’ to clients such as Torbay Council and Cornwall Council. Gareth Pinwell heads the team, and Mark Chanter offers ‘confident and honest’ advice.

Pierce Glynn Solicitors’ Adam Hundt has a notable practice representing claimants in public authority litigation.

Search News and Articles

Press releases

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
    - 11KBW

  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
    - 11KBW

  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
    - 11KBW

  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
    - 11KBW

  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW

  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
    - 11KBW

  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
    - 11KBW

  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue:
    - Penningtons Solicitors LLP

  • Premium service for tier 2 and 5 sponsors to be launched

    A premium service for sponsors will be launched by the UKBA on 6 April 2012. The service is designed specifically for companies that sponsor international employees under tier 2 and 5 of the points based system and aims to provide them with enhanced support.
    - Penningtons Solicitors LLP

Press Releases in the UK

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to
© 2012 www.legal500.com