Bevan Brittan LLP retains a ‘very skilled and knowledgeable‘ local government practice that counts London Boroughs as well as city and councils across the country in its client roster. The team is particularly experienced at advising on development and infrastructure projects and is regularly instructed to handle the construction, procurement, and property aspects of educational and cultural projects. Birmingham-based partner Ash Woodcock leads the team, which also handles contentious and non-contentious work in relation to external audits as well as disputes related to local government powers. In London, Steven Smith is a key contact for development and regeneration schemes, while David Moore is noted for his public finance experience and Melanie Carter regularly acts on high-profile auditing matters. London-based partners Virginia Cooper and Olivia Carter are also recommended for their experience acting in disputes and judicial reviews related to jurisdictional and statutory power matters. Longstanding team member David Hutton retired in May 2023.

The local government team at Browne Jacobson LLP is active across a wide range of mandates, providing very strong advice on major urban regeneration and development projects as well as energy schemes and local authority affordable housing programmes. The team is frequently instructed by local authorities across the country to handle the commercial and regulatory dimensions of procurements and joint ventures, and it is also active on restructuring matters for city and borough councils. The practice is jointly led by Nottingham-based partner Peter Ware and London-based consultant Stephen Matthew, whose public sector expertise makes them highly recommended contacts for commercial/governance matters and large-scale regeneration schemes, respectively. Nick Hurley is a noted contact for his advice on procurements and joint venture developments, while Craig Elder has extensive experience handling PFIs and PPPs. Anja Beriro, who regularly works on projects of importance to the health and care sectors, is also recommended.

Strong expertise in commercialisation, developments, governance, and income generation matters allows the ‘strong and hugely knowledgeable‘ team at Trowers & Hamlins LLP to maintain close relationships with an array of city, borough, and county councils across the UK. These clients instruct the team to handle a number of high-value housing projects and estate regenerations, and the practice is also capable of advising on investment decisions, procurement contracts, and commercial arrangements in connection with the maintenance of critical services. Led by social housing and regeneration expert Scott Dorling, the team’s strong presence in the housing space is reinforced by the expertise of Paul McDermott, who advises on funding and governance matters in connection with development projects, and consultant Helen Randall, a key contact for PPPs and joint ventures. Victoria Thornton is also recommended, particularly for her expertise handling commercial arrangements. In addition to these London-based lawyers, Birmingham-based Amardeep Gill is highly recommended for his work on complex and specialized leisure and green mobility projects.

The Birmingham-based practice at Anthony Collins Solicitors takes on a diverse range of mandates for city and county councils across the UK, having acted on a number of residential and infrastructure developments, procurement strategies, and contract disputes. The team is particularly noted for its ability to handle local government reorganisation projects, having advised the likes of Somerset and Cumbria county councils on the governance and employment aspects of major local authority overhauls. Employment expert Matthew Gregson frequently works with governance lawyer Claire Ward in connection with such reorganisations and also represents local authorities in employment disputes. Consultant Olwen Brown is a key contact for contract and procurement matters, while Mark Cook assists clients with income-generating housing and infrastructure projects. Property experts Sandy Munroe and Richard Brooks are also recommended.

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.

Burges Salmon LLP's Bristol-based local government practice excels at handling energy infrastructure schemes, having advised the likes of Bristol City Council on major net-zero and renewable energy investment projects, and is also well-equipped to handle other development work in connection with cultural, residential, and transport infrastructure. The team is also capable of advising on contentious and non-contentious procurement work in the course of these development projects. Practice head Gary Soloman is regarded as an expert on planning and compulsory purchase matters and accordingly provides planning and consenting advice on a number of major transport and energy projects. Procurement expert John Houlden is also highly recommended, as is Matthew Ramus, who is a key contact for restructuring work.

Davitt Jones Bould provides ‘highly skilled and very professional advice‘ across a range of development mandates that require an understanding of contentious and non-contentious residential and retail schemes, s106 agreements, compulsory purchase orders, and investment portfolio management. The practice is co-led by Madeleine Davitt, a key contact for major residential projects, and Malcolm Iley, who is noted for his expertise in procurement and compulsory purchase work. Further key contacts in the team include Yohanna Weber, who provides environmental advice in connection with major public sector projects, and Philippa Hipwell, who is recommended for her ability to assist councils with major investment undertakings. Stephanie Hall is also a name to note.

London lawyer Mukhtiar Tanda, Manchester-based procurement specialist Kuljeet Gill, Cardiff employment lawyer Huw Rolant Jones, and the Birmingham-based duo of investigations expert Sarah Jones and pensions specialist Gary Delderfield together form the consortium of lawyers leading Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP's national local government practice. The large team is well-regarded for the breadth of its capabilities and has a strong record of advising on high-profile public inquiries, council pension schemes, contentious employment issues, and planning and procurement matters in connection with transformational regeneration schemes and land transactions. In addition to the practice heads, Birmingham-based lawyer Matthew Storer is recommended for his experience advising on property acquisitions and disposals in connection with regeneration and development schemes.

Freeths LLP‘s public sector practice is noted for its ‘knowledge and expertise in the local government planning field‘, boasting a strong record of advice on procurement initiatives, section 106 agreements, planning inquiries, and compulsory purchase orders in connection with high-value residential and commercial development projects as well as urban regenerations. The practice maintains close relations with the likes of the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Reading Borough Council and, in addition to its planing expertise, is well-versed in contentious and non-contentious matters related to telecoms infrastructure. Birmingham-based planning and CPO expert Nathan Holden, who also has significant procurement experience, leads the practice. Bristol-based real estate lawyers Duncan Tringham, who is noted for his understanding of clean energy schemes, and Dan Cuthbert, who advises on property disputes, are also recommended, as is London infrastructure expert Robert Bruce.

Sharpe Pritchard LLP is well-regarded for its expertise in planning and highways matters, which it handles for London Boroughs and city councils across the country in connection with residential developments, urban regeneration schemes, and major cultural and educational projects. The team is also well-versed in handling procurement work for a wide variety of local authority operations. Julia Rudin is a key contact for such procurement initiatives and co-leads the practice with property expert Rob Hann and ‘outstanding’ construction lawyer Justin Mendelle. Further key contacts in the team include infrastructure expert Roseanne Serrelli as well as parliamentary infrastructure specialist Emyr Thomas.

Weightmans LLP‘s public sector practice exhibits ‘in-depth and specialist knowledge of local government law‘ and is capable of advising on a wide breadth of projects for local councils. The team excels in providing governance and regulatory advice to support local governments’ procurement initiatives, contract arrangements, and infrastructure projects. The team also provides planning and CPO advice in connection with large-scale developments and is additionally noted for its data security expertise. Liverpool-based lawyer Simon Goacher is a key contact for governance matters, having supported numerous local councils in changing their governance models, and has also advised on a number of investigations in connection with contentious matters. Procurement expert Stephen Johns, who is Leeds-based, and commercial lawyer Vincent King, who practices from London, are also highly recommended.

Joanna Bussell, an ‘utterly outsanding‘ London-based commercial expert for local government procurement and outsourcing initiatives, leads the local government team at Winckworth Sherwood LLP, which is well-known for handling contracting matters in connection with leisure centre outsourcing projects and is also equipped to advise on charity establishments, joint ventures, and regeneration and infrastructure projects. Planning expert Colette McCormack is based in Manchester and has led on a number of complex residential and commercial projects for the likes of Wandsworth Borough Council, while parliamentary infrastructure specialist Jane Wakeham practices from London and advises on compulsory purchase orders in connection with regional projects. London-based regenerations expert Matt Steinbrecher is also recommended.

Bates Wells specialises in advising auditing bodies on a range of activities, providing governance and regulatory advice and representing audit firms in judicial reviews and claims. The team also exhibits notable expertise in matters related to charity law and has a record of advising local councils on their relationships with charitable trusts. The team is co-led by Augustus Della-Porta, who has extensive experience advising local authorities on service spin-out initiatives, and Claire Whittle, who leads on the firm’s relationships with its numerous auditing clients. Subsidy control and procurement expert Lindsay Draffan, charity and spin-out expert Erica Crump, and regulatory expert Alistair Williams are also recommended.

BDB Pitmans‘ public sector team is noted for its understanding of local councils’ environmental projects, boasting an in-depth understanding of matters related to clean air and low emissions zones as well as advising on several notable transport infrastructure schemes. Under the leadership of London-based lawyer Mark Challis, the team has developed extensive compulsory purchase and planning expertise, enabling it to provide advice on highway, rail, and airport developments. Duncan O’Connor is regarded as a key contact for such work, while Nick Evans, Tom Henderson, and David Mundy are noted for their wide-reaching expertise in advising on environmental and clean air projects.