The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - Solicitors > North West > Local government

Addleshaw Goddard regularly acts for and against local government clients on a wide range of contentious and non-contentious matters; its experience includes outsourcing,  housing , real estate, projects and funds work. The team also advises combined authority and local government pension fund administrators on investments. Michael O’Connor handles public, private and project finance transactions, while Andrew Pettinger, who is based across the Leeds and Manchester offices and leads the local government team, advises on a wide range of commercial transactions for local government clients.

DLA Piper UK LLP is 'very dedicated and the team is quick to understand issues at hand'. It advises its local government clients across the UK on a range of matters such as corporate and commercial projects, planning, outsourcing; real estate; projects; pensions; and disputes. Peter Brook is experienced in large scale outsourcing transactions, legal director Sophie Stewart handles planning, highways and compulsory purchase matters. Legal director Gemma  Cowap handles commercial matters, while Sarah Bell and Liam Cowell, who is 'always available', jointly head the team.

DWF 's multi-disciplinary local government team stands out for its specialist state aid and public procurement expertise, as well as its experience in regeneration and infrastructure projects and insurance mandates. The team also advises public sector clients on loan funding projects. EU and competition head Jonathan Branton and Colin Murray, who are based across the firm's Leeds and Manchester offices, jointly head the team. Bradley Martin is recommended as a rising star.

Pinsent Masons LLP  in Manchester is best known for its ability to advise on a range of issues for local government clients including cutting-edge developments in PPP policy in regeneration and social housing, alternative service models, alternative investment models and infrastructure funds in the region and beyond. The team also offers planning advice and is regularly engaged on housing, development and regeneration schemes. Team head Scot Morrison has a 'wealth of experience' and is noted for his experience in joint venture structuring; he is ably supported by Helen Robinson on public-private partnership transactions.

BLM handles a range of work for local government clients and boasts experience across development work, site acquisitions and funding, governance, abuse and child sexual exploitation, social care, misfeasance, regulatory matters, social housing, personal injury, IP, media and communications instructions. Commercial advisory head Stephen Lintott specialises in real estate mandates. Paul Tarne, who is experienced in civil claims, and Matthew Hyam, who is noted for his social housing expertise, jointly head the team.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP stands out for its public sector expertise and the firm advises on projects, governance and structures, collaboration with the private sector and third sector, regeneration developments, major outsourcing, procurement, investigations and public sector pension matters. In Manchester, the team has handled significant transport and development projects. Jackie Heeds is 'brilliant' and has vast experience in infrastructure transactions procured through PFI/PPP/PF2 and Joint Ventures. Kuljeet Gill is also a key figure.

The 'impressive' team at Trowers & Hamlins LLP handles a range of matters such as complex advisory work; town centre infrastructure and regeneration projects; estate regeneration; local authority housing development; and governance and strategy mandates. The team is also experienced on the large scale voluntary transfer of council housing stock and advises local government clients on constitutional and contractual work. In Manchester, Suzanne Benson heads the housing and regeneration team.

Weightmans LLP's local government expertise spans major regeneration, projects, property, construction, planning, employment, civil litigation, commercial debt recovery, prosecutions, governance issues, commercial matters, public procurement, State aid, housing, child and adult social care mandates. Team head Simon Goacher advises on governance matters for many local authorities and often conducts sensitive investigations.

DAC Beachcroft LLP is active across a range of real estate, project, corporate and commercial mandates and also offers expertise across construction, pensions, mental health, safeguarding, information law, corporate manslaughter, procurement, competition law and state aid. The team also handles core local government law and governance issues for local government clients. Northern real estate head Alison Key leads the team.

Hill Dickinson LLP stands out for its experience across a range of public procurement, regeneration, dispute resolution and telecoms mandates. The team also offers construction, restructuring, health, restructuring, banking and planning expertise. Mark Fitzgibbon, who leads the commercial, TMT and IP team and Tracey Sheehan, who is head of telecoms, jointly lead the team.

Squire Patton Boggs stands out for its experience across regeneration projects and large scale development transactions involving public and private sector collaboration, and the team also has extensive experience in the funding market. Local government pension schemes, infrastructure and transport projects are also key areas of expertise, as are finance, corporate issues and disputes. Team heads Mark Barker and Mark Gaffney specialise in development work and regeneration projects.

TLT handles a range of procurement, IT transformations, and large-scale development and regeneration projects. In Manchester, the team has a growing presence across planning, regeneration projects, real estate, tax, and procurement mandates. It also handles commercial and contractual work and is instructed on disputes. John Hyde heads the property development team and litigator Jon Hainey is experienced in public law and procurement disputes.