Public procurement in London Bar
Considered 'the top set' for public procurement instructions, Monckton Chambers is home to an impressive range of practitioners with expertise across the health services, housing, utilities, transport, and defence sectors. Members cover EU matters, PPPs, and project finance in the form of advice or complex litigation or mediation. Michael Bowsher QC is pre-eminent for UK and EU procurement; in Central Surrey Health Limited v NHS Surrey Downs CCG he successfully represented Central Surrey Health in the first stage of a procurement challenge. Philip Moser QC is also well known – acting for both claimants and government departments on procurement disputes. He acted for the NHS in a high-profile case where AbbVie challenged the health service on a Hepatitis C drug procurement. Valentina Sloane QC combines her EU procurement expertise with her tax practice. She acted for Eurotunnel in a headline grabbing case which challenged to the Secretary of State for Transport's (Chris Grayling MP's) procurement of Brexit-related ferry contracts. The government agreed to pay Eurotunnel £33m to settle the action.
11KBW is hailed for having 'an excellent team of barristers' and for being 'one of the go-to sets' for public procurement matters. Jason Coppel QC who is noted for being 'one of the sharpest brains in the field', acted for the defendant in Alstom UK, Bombardier Transport & Hitachi Rail v London Underground Limited. James Goudie QC's work includes successfully resisting a second attempted State Aid challenge by way of judicial review in Sky Blue Sports and Leisure Ltd and Avro Master Fund Ltd v Coventry City Council and Arena Coventry Ltd and Trustees of the Alan Edward Higgs Charity. Well known for the breadth of his expertise, Nigel Giffin QC acts for both claimants and contracting authorities across the roads/transport, real estate developments and healthcare sectors. Junior members 'highly recommended' include Joseph Barrett and the 'excellent' Rupert Paines who were both part of the defence team in Ryhurst Limited v Whittington NHS Trust, a claim regarding the cancellation of a tender process in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower Fire.
Keating Chambers is home to some of the 'go-to counsel for public procurement matters'. 'A popular choice', Fionnuala Mccredie QC who acted for Unipart in DHL Supply Chain Ltd v Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and Unipart Group Ltd in a case valued at £730m. The 'technically and tactically strong' Sarah Hannaford QC combines expertise in EU-wide procurement with related competition issues to tackle high-profile cases. She acted for the Department of finance in Ireland in Eircom UK Limited v Dept of Finance in a procurement and competition law challenge concerning a telecommunications system. 'A junior of choice', Simon Taylor combines his track record in competition law with work on a number of hefty procurement disputes in the transport and IT arenas. Calum Lamont is another highly recommended senior junior who was instructed in Openview v Merton in relation to the letting of a contract for automatic number plate recognition services. At the injunction stage, the case revisited the law on causation for challenging economic operators.
Blackstone Chambers' public law offering includes a range of public procurement expertise. 'Star senior junior' James Segan 'is smashing to work with, very bright and very much in demand'. His work includes advising on large IT outsourcing contracts and disputes around tender processes Also in demand, Hanif Mussa has handled a number of high-profile cases in areas such as transport.
At Henderson Chambers 'excellent advocate' Rhodri Williams QC counts local and regional government departments among his client who find him 'very user-friendly'. Some of his high-stakes cases have reached the Supreme Court and European Court of Justice, the subjects of which range from health to construction and defence and related funding issues. Andrew Kinnier QC's heavy-weight cases include advising on European structural funds and substantial infrastructure matters. In one case Kinnier is acting for HM Treasury and the Department for Communities & Local Government in relation to procurement issues relating to grants for the restoration of the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool and other regeneration projects.