Next Generation Partners

Firms To Watch: Local government

Bird & Bird LLP‘s transportation and highways-oriented local government practice is led by Stuart Cairns and advises local councils on a number of projects that aim to decarbonise transport infrastructure.

Local government in London

Bevan Brittan LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Ash Woodcock


Other key lawyers:

Steven Smith; Melanie Carter; Virginia Cooper; Olivia Carter; Rebecca Pendlebury


Testimonials

‘Very skilled and knowledgeable team, always keen to help and go the extra mile.’

‘Rebecca Pendlebury is by far the most proactive and intelligent legal advisor I’ve ever worked with, always giving proactive advice on how to stay ahead of the game.’

‘Bevan Brittan offers high-quality expertise and a seamless integration of different subject experts to deliver an excellent service to the client.’

‘All the individuals we’ve worked with from this firm have been excellent. In particular, David Moore and Steven Smith’s professionalism and courtesy, coupled with their good understand of and responsiveness to the client’s business has made them stand out head and shoulders above others.’

‘Strong public sector procurement and commercial expertise.’

‘Responsive and willing to explore the art of the possible.’

Key clients

City of Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council


County Council of the City and County of Cardiff


Flintshire County Council


Grant Thornton LLP


Local Government Association


London Borough of Hammersmith


London Borough of Haringey


Manchester City Council


Merton Council


Public Sector Audit Appointments


Reading Borough Council


Work highlights


  • Advised the City of London Corporation on its partnership with the Museum of London to bring about the £332m redevelopment of former Smithfield Market to provide a new, state-of-the-art facility for the Museum.
  • Advised the London Borough of Haringey on its Decentralised Energy Network (DEN) programme, a large-scale, innovative energy infrastructure programme to connect thousands of existing and new build housing projects across the borough to a centralised district energy system.
  • Advised Grant Thornton LLP on its role as statutory external auditor for Cheshire East Council in the course of a five-year investigation into standards and ethics in public office in local government, culminating in a public interest report which is now playing a critical role in the debate around necessary standards amongst councillors and senior officers.

Browne Jacobson LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Stephen Mathew; Peter Ware


Other key lawyers:

Nick Hurley; Craig Elder; Anja Beriro


Testimonials

‘The team has all the skills necessary to drive a successful project forward. They are responsive and also understanding of the constraints experienced by public sector clients.’

‘Stephen Matthew and Nick Hurley have the experience and the enthusiasm to make them a pleasure to work with.’

‘Strong individuals willing to give an opinion.’

Key clients

Barking & Dagenham Trading Partnerships


City of Lincoln Council


Elmbridge Borough Council


Folkstone and Hythe District Council


Harlow District Council


Herefordshire Council


Kent County Council


Local Partnerships LLP


London Borough of Bromley


London Borough of Camden


London Borough of Croydon


London Borough of Ealing


London Borough of Enfield


London Borough of Havering


London Borough of Sutton


London Borough of Tower Hamlets


Otterpool Park LLP


Oxford City Council


Rushmoor Borough Council


Shropshire Council


South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust


South London Waste Partnership


Thanet District Council


Watford Borough Council


West Sussex Property Development LLP


Winchester City Council


Work highlights


  • Advised the London Borough of Enfield on the procurement and delivery of the future phases of Meridian Water, the Council’s major £6bn, 25-year regeneration programme which will deliver 10,000 homes and 6,000 jobs to Enfield.
  • Acted for Folkestone & Hythe District Council on Otterpool Park, a flagship Garden Town project with an estimated gross development value of £2.8bn which has the long term potential to deliver up to 10,000 new homes, plus employment space that could support up to 8,000 jobs.
  • Advised the London Borough of Sutton on the redevelopment of the St Nicholas Shopping Centre site and related Civic Centre site, having supported the Council on the acquisition of the shopping centre.

Pinsent Masons LLP

Pinsent Masons LLP‘s local government practice stands out for its ability to advise London Boroughs and other local authorities on their flagship projects related to housing, net-zero, and post-COVID economic regrowth priorities. The team is well-equipped to advise on transportation and energy schemes, as well as mixed-use developments and regenerations, and is composed of a diverse set of local government experts with experience handling the regulatory, real estate, planning, procurement, and governance aspects of high-value projects. Under the leadership of Leeds-based development and regeneration expert Anne Bowden, the team is particularly recognized for its expertise in housing and infrastructure. PPP and joint venture expert Scot Morrison, who divides his time between Manchester and London, and London-based energy lawyer Peter Feehan bolster this expertise. Robbie Owen is another key contact in London and regularly handles matters related to CPOs and DCOs.

Practice head(s):

Anne Bowden


Other key lawyers:

Scot Morrison; Peter Feehan; Robbie Owen


Testimonials

‘Pinsent Masons provides a comprehensive legal service on a wide range of projects, from CPO advice to development agreements. The team is responsive, innovative, and extremely thorough.’

‘Anne Bowden has provided expert advice and co-ordinated with other partners to ensure that we receive comprehensive advice. Advice has been easily understood and Anne and her team have communicated effectively to ensure that the council has understood all implications to enable measured decisions to be made.’

Key clients

Birmingham City Council


Kent County Council


Leeds City Council


London Borough of Barnet


London Borough of Camden


London Borough of Croydon


London Borough of Enfield


London Borough of Islington


London Borough of Lambeth


London Borough of Richmond


London Borough of Southwark


London Borough of Wandsworth


Manchester City Council


Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea


Suffolk County Council


Sunderland City Council


Westminster City Council


Work highlights


  • Advised the London Borough of Wandsworth on its Winstanley/York Road Joint Venture project with Taylor Wimpey, a council estate regeneration scheme set to deliver 2500 new homes beside Clapham Junction.
  • Advised Coventry City Council on a groundbreaking Very Light Rail city-wide transport scheme, the first of its kind, part funded by DfT and West Midlands Combined Authority.

Trowers & Hamlins LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Scott Dorling


Other key lawyers:

Amardeep Gill; Paul McDermott; Helen Randall; Victoria Thornton


Testimonials

‘The team are really strong and hugely knowledgeable, and most importantly, they are fantastic humans who really understand the real meaning of acting on behalf of the client’s best interests. What makes them unique is the depth of knowledge and experience they draw on across sectors and industries and their lived experience in formulating policy in the specified areas.’

‘Paul McDermott and Victoria Thornton are without doubt the best legal team I have ever worked with because they care about you both as a client and as an individual. They make the work fun and try to take as much of the weight as possible to give the client the best possible service. Their genuine interest in the subject matter and in the clients they work with shines through in their approach and makes for better outcomes. It was a real pleasure working with Paul and Victoria, and it was by far the most collaborative legal work stream I have ever been involved with.’

‘Their client-representative approach works well and provides consistency of resources to clients. The practice also champions diversity and inclusion within their workforce, which is of real importance.’

‘Individuals are very approachable and integrate very well with the client projects teams. The advice given is of a consistently high standard. They know their clients and their working practices very well. Standout partners are Rebecca Rees and Scott Dorling.’

Key clients

Birmingham City Council


Central Bedfordshire Council


Cheltenham Borough Council


Epsom & Ewell Borough Council


Kent County Council


Leisure Outsourcing -Various Public Sector clients


London Borough of Croydon


London Borough of Haringey


London Borough of Hillingdon


London Borough of Lambeth


Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea


Rutland County Council


Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council


Trafford Borough Council


West Midlands Combined Authority


Westminster City Council


Wirral Council


Work highlights


  • Advised Westminster City Council on a series of landmark projects, including the flagship regeneration scheme at Church Street, and on the new Labour administration’s Truly Affordable Homes Commission.
  • Advised the London Borough of Haringey on the procurement and construction contracting for the £800m capital works procurement, using a framework alliance contract in conjunction with multiple term alliance contracts in order to create a model structure following the Cabinet Office’s “Constructing the Gold Standard” and “Construction Playbook” guidance.
  • Advised the London Borough of Croydon on the responsive repairs and maintenance of all of Croydon’s housing stock and the servicing, repair and replacement of any gas heating and hot water system.

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Matthew Gregson


Other key lawyers:

Claire Ward; Olwen Brown; Mark Cook; Sandy Munroe


Key clients

Borough Council of Kings Lynn & West Norfolk


Children’s Commissioning Consortium Cymru


Coventry City Council


Cumbria County Council


Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council


Leicester City Council


Mid-Devon District Council


Newark and Sherwood District Council


Newcastle City Council


North Northamptonshire Council


Oxford City Council


Shropshire Council


Somerset County Council


The Barnet Group


West Northamptonshire Council


Worcestershire County Council


Work highlights


  • Advised Somerset County Council on the reorganisation of local government in Somerset, which is bringing five councils into a single entity and is one of only three such reorganisations taking place nationwide, having been approved by the Government.
  • Advised Newcastle City Council on commercial, construction and energy specific matters related to £27.5m of funding received from the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to be utilised to provide low carbon heating and other energy efficient measures across 32 sites.
  • Advised Shropshire Council on the Shrewsbury North West Relief Road, which is a significant project and an ambitious development to the historical market town of Shrewsbury, with an investment value of ca. £90m.

Ashfords LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Lucy Woods


Other key lawyers:

David Richardson; Robin de Wreede; Ruth Yates


Key clients

Advance Northumberland Commercial Limited


Ashford Borough Council


Bath and North East Somerset Council


Brick by Brick Croydon Limited


Bristol City Council


Cornwall Council


Devon County Council


Dorset Council


East Suffolk Council


Exeter City Council


Hampshire County Council


Herefordshire Council


Kent County Council


London Borough of Brent


London Borough of Hackney


London Borough of Lambeth


London Borough of Southwark


Maidstone Borough Council


Mendip District Council


Mid-Devon District Council


North Devon Council


North Devon District Council


North Yorkshire County Council


Populo Living


Portsmouth City Council


Richmond Borough Council


Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea


Sedgemoor District Council


Shropshire Council


South Hams District Council


South Somerset District Council


Stratford Upon Avon District Council


Swansea Council


Thanet District Council


Torbay Council


Torridge District Council


Tunbridge Wells Borough Council


Wandsworth Borough Council


Watford Borough Council


West Devon Borough Council


Work highlights


  • Advised Ashford Borough Council on the Ashford International Studios Project, a £250m investment into the regeneration of one of the largest brownfield sites in the UK.
  • Advised Wandsworth Borough Council Richmond Upon Thames Borough Council on a wide range of matters related to procurement and contracts; planning, residential, employment, commercial litigation and dispute resolution, and construction.
  • Acted for Exeter City Council on the acquisition of Guildhall Sopping Centre, one of the most high profile and publicized deals in the region in 2022 due to the popularity and the nature of the purchaser.

Burges Salmon LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Gary Soloman


Other key lawyers:

Josh Houlden; Matthew Ramus


Key clients

Birmingham City Council


Bristol City Council


Environment Agency


Gloucestershire County Council


Greater London Authority


Isle of Anglesey County Council


North Somerset Council


South Hams District Council


Torbay Council


Transport for London


Worthing Borough Council


Work highlights


  • Advised Bristol City Council on its ‘City Leap’ initiative, bringing together private sector and community partners to deliver on a long-term multibillion-pound programme of energy and infrastructure investment opportunities.
  • Advised Gloucestershire County Council on the major highway improvement scheme at Junction 10 of the M5 motorway, which is needed to address congestion problems in Cheltenham and enable significant growth.
  • Advised South Hams District Council on a potential compulsory purchase order to enable land assembly of part of the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport at Langage, which aims to create a public and private sector partnership between national and local government, industry, the Port of Plymouth, and major local landowners.

Davitt Jones Bould

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.

Practice head(s):

Madeleine Davitt; Malcolm Iley


Other key lawyers:

Yohanna Weber; Philippa Hipwell; Stephanie Hall; Nigel Hewitson


Testimonials

‘Nigel Hewitson has provided excellent support.’

‘DJB is focussed on Local Authority clients and understands the unique aspects and challenges of property in a local authority context.’

‘You can be confident that DJB will pick up and run with whatever is given to them. They have always provided good service and communications have always been fast and effective.’

‘A very responsive firm that fields knowledgeable and approachable team members. Highly skilled and very professional advice. Issues are dealt with speedily and in a very straightforward manner.’

‘Team members deal with complex matters in a very straightforward manner, allowing the client to agree to solutions best suited to its needs.’

Key clients

Adur District Council


Arun District Council


Bath and North East Somerset Council


Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP)


Bradford City Council


Brighton and Hove City Council


Chichester District Council


City and County of Swansea Council


Craven District Council


Dacorum Borough Council


Elmbridge Borough Council


Epsom and Ewell Borough Council


Exeter City Council


Fareham Borough Council


Forest of Dean District Council


Herefordshire Council


Hertfordshire County Council


Huntingdonshire District Council


North Somerset Council


Quorn Parish Council


Reading Borough Council


Runnymede Borough Council


Slough Borough Council


Southampton City Council


Spelthorne Borough Council


Surrey County Council


Surrey Heath Borough Council


Test Valley Borough Council


Watford Borough Council


Watford Borough Council


Wiltshire Council


Woking Borough Council


Worthing Borough Council


Work highlights


  • Advised Wiltshire Council on a large extension of the town of Chippenham, which will include 7,500 new homes, a £75m new A350 road scheme, a new bridge over the River Avon, as well as five hectares of retail and office parks, a new school, a new care home, and various other developments.
  • Acted for North Somerset Council in a successful defence of a judicial review challenge to the Council’s development of a special needs school for disabled children.
  • Advised North Somerset Council on planning appeals and agreements regarding the expansion of Bristol City Airport and related new developments, such as off-airport car parking schemes.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Mukhtiar Tanda; Kuljeet Gill; Huw Rolant Jones; Sarah Jones; Gary Delderfield


Other key lawyers:

Matthew Storer


Key clients

Bedford Borough Council


London Borough of Barnet


Telford & Wrekin Council


Work highlights


Freeths LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Nathan Holden


Other key lawyers:

Duncan Tringham; Dan Cuthbert; Robert Bruce


Testimonials

‘Very experienced in planning law. Came up with innovative ways to overcome a section 106 issue we had.’

‘Everyone at Freeths gives sound, clear, concise, legal advice and I always feel they fully answer our queries. They are aware of the legal issues that are important to us. They have taken time to familiarise themselves with our internal procedures and ways of working, and they always make themselves available to assist accordingly.’

‘Robert Bruce takes time to provide advice and updates in a way that we can easily apply to our planning work. He has been particularly mindful of and expert in helping us navigate the complexities of our case. All the lawyers we worked with are extremely supportive to us in dealing with complex, often high profile cases and I have always felt confident in their work. They are always 100% professional and discreet. They have provided crucial support in helping to get difficult matters resolved under high pressure situations.’

Key clients

Allerdale Borough Council


Amber Valley Borough Council


Arc Property Services Partnership Ltd


Ashfield District Council


Ashfield Homes Ltd


Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council


Bassetlaw District Council


Bath and North East Somerset Council


Bedford Borough Council


Birmingham City Council


Blaby District Council


Bolsover District Council


Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council


Boston Borough Council


Bristol City Council


Broxbourne Borough Council


Broxtowe Borough Council


Buckinghamshire Advantage


Buckinghamshire Council


Cambridge City Council


Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority


Cambridgeshire County Council


Castle Point Borough Council


Central Bedfordshire Council


Charnwood Borough Council


Cheltenham Borough Council


Cherwell District Council


Cheshire East Council


Cheshire West and Chester Council


Chesterfield Borough Council


City of Lincoln Council


Corby Borough Council


Cornwall Council


Cornwall Council Reporting Group


Cotswold District Council


Council of the Borough of South Tyneside


Coventry City Council


Cumbria County Council


Darlington Borough Council


Daventry District Council


Defence Infrastructure Organisation


Derby City Council


Derbyshire Building Control Partnership


Derbyshire County Council


Derbyshire Dales District Council


Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Authority


Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council


Durham County Council


East Hertfordshire District Council


East Lindsey District Council


East Northamptonshire District Council


East Sussex County Council


Eden District Council


Enfield Council


Erewash Borough Council


Exeter City Council


Fenland District Council


Folkestone & Hythe District Council


Forest of Dean District Council


Gateshead Council


Gloucester City Council


Gloucestershire County Council


Gravesham Borough Council


Guildford Borough Council


Halton Borough Council


Harborough District Council


Harlow Council


Harrogate Borough Council


Havant Borough Council


Herefordshire Council


Hertfordshire County Council


High Peak Borough Council


Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council


Huntingdonshire District Council


Ipswich Borough Assets Limited


Ipswich Borough Council


Isle of Wight Council


Kent County Council


Kettering Borough Council


Kirklees Council


Leeds City Council


Leicester City Council


Leicestershire County Council


Leicestershire County Council


Lichfield District Council


Lincolnshire County Council


Liverpool City Region Combined Authority


London Borough of Barking & Dagenham


London Borough of Bromley


London Borough of Camden


London Borough of Ealing


London Borough of Hackney


London Borough of Havering


London Borough of Hillingdon


London Borough of Lambeth


London Borough of Newham


London Borough of Richmond upon Thames


London Borough of Sutton


Luton Borough Council


Mansfield District Council


Melton Borough Council


Merton London Borough Council


Middlesbrough Borough Council


Milton Keynes Council


Milton Keynes Development Partnership


Mole Valley District Council


Newark & Sherwood District Council


North East Derbyshire District Council


North East Lincolnshire Council


North Hertfordshire District Council


North Lincolnshire Council


North Northamptonshire Council


North West Leicestershire District Council


North Yorkshire County Council


Northampton Borough Council


Northumberland County Council


Nottingham City Council


Nottingham City Homes Limited


Nottingham Community Housing Association


Nottinghamshire County Council


Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service


Nottinghamshire Police Authority


Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council


Old Bolsover Town Council


Orbis Reporting Group


Oxford City Council


Oxford City Housing Limited


Peak District National Park


Peterborough City Council


Plymouth City Council


Police & Crime Commissioner for Kent


Reading Borough Council


Rochford District Council


Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council


Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service


Royal Borough of Greenwich


Rugby Borough Council


Runnymede Borough Council


Rushcliffe Borough Council


Rushmoor Borough Council


Scape Group Ltd


Sedgemoor District Council


Sefton Council


Sheffield City Council


Shropshire Council


Solihull MBC


Somerset County Council


South Cambridgeshire District Council


South Lakeland District Council


South Somerset District Council


South Staffordshire Council


South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority


Southampton City Council


Spelthorne Borough Council


Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce


Staffordshire County Council


Stevenage Borough Council


Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council


Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council


Stoke on Trent City Council


Stratford Upon Avon District Council


Surrey County Council


Swindon Borough Council


Tamworth Borough Council


Telford and Wrekin Council


The Borough of Oadby & Wigston


Transport for the North


Wakefield Council


Wakefield Metropolitan District Council


Walsall Council


Wantage Town Council


Ware Town Council


Warrington Borough Council


Waverley Borough Council


Welwyn & Hatfield Borough Council


West Midlands Combined Authority


West Midlands Growth Company


West Northamptonshire Council


West Yorkshire Combined Authority


West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue


West of England Combined Authority


Wigan Council


Wokingham Borough Council


Wolverhampton City Council


Worcestershire County Council


York City Council


Work highlights


  • Advised the London Borough of Lambeth on a number of major projects, including the Oasis Academy project.
  • Advised the London Borough of Camden on the creation of a new corporate structure to include a new registered provider.
  • Advised the Royal Borough of Greenwich on matters related to its contracts and planning teams.

Sharpe Pritchard LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Rob Hann; Justin Mendelle; Julia Rudin


Other key lawyers:

Roseanne Serrelli; Emyr Thomas


Testimonials

‘They have a depth of experience across a number of sectors. We have been working with them for nearly 20 years on many different projects. At all times they have been able to provide the right person with the right level of experience.’

‘Justin Mendelle has been an outstanding partner working with us for many years. He brings a wealth of experience, ideas, and solutions to the long-running case. He is pragmatic, with a razor sharp legal brain, and he plays in the right level of support from the firm to enable work to be turned around very quickly, with exceptional accuracy. He is great at simplifying a complex case for the corporate council team and councillors.’

‘Strong team that are able to respond creatively to find solutions to problems.’

Key clients

Carlisle City Council


Cheshire East Council


Hertfordshire Council


London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham


London Borough of Lambeth


London Borough of Merton


London Borough of Redbridge


Milton Keynes


Peterborough City Council


Thurrock Council


Wakefield Council


Waltham Forest London Borough


Work highlights


Weightmans LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Simon Goacher


Other key lawyers:

Stephen Johns; Vincent King; Clive Beasdale; Lee Gordon


Testimonials

‘Very helpful and have a great attitude. Regardless of the size or importance of my concerns, they have always provided a good steer. Particular strength has been in the development of funding agreements with third parties for government grant funding.’

‘Stephen Johns developed a good working relationship with us from the beginning which has been developed further over the years. He is always willing to spend time discussing any concerns, and I feel confident with the advice he provides.’

‘In-depth and specialist knowledge of local government law.’

‘Simon Goacher is very well regarded within the local government legal community. He has local government experience that spans the public and private sector.’

‘Good understanding of the different issues relevant to local government instructions.’

Key clients

Association of Directors of Public Health


EM Lawshare


Gloucestershire County Council


Hertfordshire County Council


Liverpool City Region Combined Authority


London Borough of Waltham Forest


Manchester City Council


NW Legal Consortium


Nottinghamshire County Council


West of England Combined Authority


Work highlights


  • Advised the West of England Combined Authority on its Future Transport Zone programme of projects throughout 2022, which are funded by DfT and explore innovative ways to support the modal shift away from cars.
  • Advised Swale Borough Council on its change of governance model from a committee system to a leader and governance model.
  • Advised the London Borough of Waltham Forest on investigations related to a complaint that one of the elected members of the London Borough of Waltham Forest had breached its code of conduct by arranging for the flag of Northern Cyprus to be flown at a ceremony at the Town Hall.

Winckworth Sherwood LLP

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.

Practice head(s):

Joanna Bussell


Other key lawyers:

Colette McCormack; Jane Wakeham; Matt Steinbrecher


Testimonials

‘Our contact, Joanna Bussell, is utterly outstanding.’

‘Joanna is the acknowledged UK specialist Lawyer when it comes to leisure and cultural trusts. She has a broad range of specific experience that has proved invaluable when providing advice on contract renewal. The whole team values Joanna’s integrity, expertise, and balanced and measured advice.’

Key clients

Bath and North East Somerset Council.


Braintree District Council, Council


Canterbury City Council


Chelmsford City Council


East Staffordshire District Council


East Suffolk Council


East Sussex County Council


Epping Forest District


Lancaster City Council


Lichfield District Council,


London Borough of Ealing


London Borough of Hounslow


London Borough of Hounslow


London Borough of Wandsworth


Slough Borough Council


Suffolk Coastal Council


Swindon Borough Council


Waveney District Council,


Worthing Borough Council


Work highlights


  • Advised Bath and North East Somerset Council on a £100m project related to the establishment of a new charity for the Fashion Museum in Bath, which is relocating from its current location at the Assembly Rooms to the redeveloped Post Office on the High Street in Bath.
  • Advised Swindon Borough Council on its new £100m Cultural Quarter, which will include four major new build facilities, including a theatre, cinema, dance studio and art pavilion.
  • Advised Wandsworth Borough Council on its multi-billion-pound estate regeneration programme, including on the regeneration of the York Winstanley estate, a £1.5bn complex estate regeneration which will deliver up to 2,550 new homes as well as new community facilities.

Bates Wells

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 led by Augustus Della-Porta, who has extensive experience advising local authorities on service spin-out initiatives. Subsidy control and procurement expert Lindsay Draffan, charity and spin-out expert Erica Crump, and regulatory expert Alistair Williams are also recommended. Former co-head Claire Whittle left for DLA Piper.

Practice head(s):

Augustus Della-Porta


Other key lawyers:

Lindsay Draffan; Alistair Williams; Erica Crump


Testimonials

‘More than any other firm I know, the Bates Wells team is highly committed to and steeped in the local government sector.’

‘Erica Crump is an outstanding partner for public sector work. She is highly technical, yet also incredibly practical and commercial. Erica has a particular skill in simplifying complex business problems and in finding innovative and sustainable solutions for the clients’ long term benefit.’

‘The team has very good knowledge and experience of the issues at play in local government, particularly in governance and audit. They apply that knowledge and experience to good effect to provide practical solutions.’

‘Alistair Williams is very thorough in his approach. This instils a lot of confidence in us that our published reports are robust and can withstand challenge.’

Key clients

Achieving for Children


Audit Wales


Work highlights


  • Advised Achieving for Children on the renewal and updating of their Commissioning Agreement and related Members/Inter-Authority Agreement with the local councils for Richmond-Upon-Thames and Kingston-Upon-Thames.
  • Advised Audit Wales on local government law and the functions of the Auditor General for Wales in his capacity as external auditor to local authorities in Wales.

BDB Pitmans

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.

Practice head(s):

Mark Challis


Other key lawyers:

Duncan O’Connor; Nick Evans; Tom Henderson; David Mundy


Testimonials

‘The team are proactive and knowledgeable. Their key strength is in their leadership and coordination amongst team members. Resources are well deployed and their strength in depth covers specialist areas.’

‘Aside from their strong knowledge on the subject matter, the individuals operate on a high productivity threshold and always meet deadlines set to a good quality standard.’

Key clients

Bath and North East Somerset Council


Bristol City Council and North Somerset Council


Cambridgeshire County Council


East Suffolk Council and Coastal Partnership East


London Luton Airport Limited


Manchester City Council


Newcastle City Council


Northumberland County Council


Oxfordshire County Council


Transport for Greater Manchester


Transport for London


Work highlights


Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP

Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP is very active on development work, advising a roster of clients that encompasses the likes of the London Borough of Lewisham and Westminster City Council on compulsory purchase orders, project structuring, public procurement and subsidy control matters, and real estate contracts in connection with major redevelopments and regeneration projects. The team has handled a diverse array of cultural, residential, and commercial projects and has also acted on the construction of new settlements across the UK. Newcastle-based procurement expert Iain Greenshields leads the practice and frequently works alongside Bristol-based planning lawyer Jonathan Bower on the delivery of city redevelopments. London real estate partner Martin Stacey and Bristol property lawyer Katherine Douglas are also recommended.

Practice head(s):

Iain Greenfields


Other key lawyers:

Martin Stacey; Katherine Douglas; Jonathan Bower


Testimonials

‘The wider team provided a joined up approach and have a depth of services, experience and knowledge. WBD are swift, coherent and competent in all areas.’

‘Martin Stacey is personable, contactable, responsive, diligent, knowledgeable, and reliable.’

Work highlights


  • Advised the London Borough of Lewisham on Lewisham Gateway.
  • Advised the London Borough of Lewisham on the £1 billion mixed use redevelopment of New Bermondsey, which will deliver circa 2,400 new homes, and on the construction of Energize, London’s largest indoor sports centre since Crystal Palace.
  • Advised the London Borough of Brent on the £70m phased housing regeneration project at Barham Park, a project delivered via a tri-partite development agreement between Notting Hill Housing, Brent Council and Countryside Properties.