Lucy Woods > Ashfords LLP > Exeter, England > Lawyer Profile

Ashfords LLP fields a specialist subsidy control and procurement team that caters to clients within the public, private and third sectors on a variety of topics ranging from housing and regeneration projects to telecoms and infrastructure developments. Based in Exeter, the team is headed up by Lucy Woods, whose advisory portfolio includes assisting public sector clients with public procurement and state aid matters. Senior associate Ruth Yates, praised for being ‘incredibly commercially minded’, is another key member of the practice and handles a large volume of subsidy control and procurement work. Angela Watson left the firm in July 2022.

The ‘great service’ provided by Ashfords LLP‘s public sector team spans employment, construction, and dispute resolution. Practice chair Lucy Woods‘ expertise extends to subsidy control for rural broadband projects and enterprise zones. Sian Gibbon focuses on telecoms work and right of light claims, while planning expert David Richardson  assists local authorities with compulsory purchase and public law advice. Other key figures include regeneration and development projects specialist Robin De Wreede; Laura Reeve, a key contact for construction procurement mandates; and the ‘exceptionally knowledgable’  Ruth Yates. All named lawyers are based in Exeter.

Ashfords LLP acts for a strong roster of major registered providers (RPs) and local authority clients on issues such as site acquisitions, housing association structuring, and a wide range of contentious work – including ASB claims. Paul Butterworth, who heads the property and development side of the practice, frequently leads on stock transfer projects. His colleague Isabelle Clement is a highly experienced adviser to major RPs on the acquisition of land for development. Lucy Woods is a public sector specialist, particularly in relation to public procurement work, while Sian Gibbon – who heads the property litigation team – has recently focused on litigation related to B5 safety regulations.

Ashfords LLP ‘s Exeter-based team is capable of handling the full spectrum of public sector work for its local authority clients and boasts particular expertise in advising on land transactions, planning proposals, and procurement initiatives in connection with large regeneration schemes and infrastructure developments. The team is also regularly instructed by London Boroughs to provide ongoing assistance with all governance, employment, and corporate structuring work clients encounter during in the course of their development activities. Lucy Woods, a regulatory compliance and corporate structuring expert, serves as practice head and is regarded as a key contact for subsidy control matters. Other key contacts include planning expert David Richardson, who acts across the contentious and non-contentious aspects of major residential developments, and procurement expert Ruth Yates.