Next Generation Partners

Local government in South West

Bevan Brittan LLP

Providing an ‘outstanding level of legal support‘, Bevan Brittan LLP‘s local government portfolio includes advice on governance and reorganisation, contract management, climate change and disputes. The firm combines its Bristol expertise with its national presence across three other locations: London, Leeds and Birmingham. Practice head David Hutton specialises in PFI and PPP outsourcing models, amongst others, while Sarah Lamont is noted for her expertise in employment matters. Senior associate Liz Fletcher brings to bear experience in supporting local authorities with IP issues, ICT contracts, and outsourcing. The team was strengthened by the arrival of Geldards LLP public sector head Bethan Lloyd in early 2022.

Practice head(s):

David Hutton

Other key lawyers:

Sarah Lamont; Liz Fletcher; Bethan Lloyd

Testimonials

‘Ability and willingness to rapidly respond to unforeseen events when urgent advice is needed Access to a wide range of specialist skills.’

‘We have received good strategic contract advice from David Hutton on several complex matters.’

‘In their respective areas they have demonstrated good experience in their respective areas, the ability to respond quickly and in an agile way to meet priorities, making their advice easily understood by non-lawyers.’

Bethan Lloyd has a really broad range of knowledge and experience, and she always responds promptly and pragmatically.’

‘Bethan Lloyd is excellent at striking a balance between highlighting the public law constraints we need to be mindful of, but also helping us to act in as agile and commercial a way as possible.’

Key clients

Welsh Government

Cardiff Council

Birmingham City Council

Sunderland City Council

Oxfordshire County Council

North Yorkshire County Council

Kent County Council

Public Sector Audit Appointments

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO)

Local Government Association on behalf of 52 Fire & Rescue Authorities

Portsmouth City Council

Lewisham LBC

Haringey LBC

Royal Borough of Greenwich

Work highlights

  • Appointed by Welsh Government to advise 29 Local Authorities and Further Education Institutions on the newly established £1.5bn Welsh Education Partnership to deliver a range of infrastructure services up to 30 new education facilities (primarily schools and colleges) in Wales.
  • Advising Sunderland Council, as a Smart City, on its £100m+ project to deliver a 5G neutral host network across the city region.
  • Advising 52 Fire and Rescue Authorities on remedies issues in multijurisdictional discrimination claims brought by over 10,000 fire-fighters in the context of the Government’s revised plans for public sector pensions reform.

Burges Salmon LLP

Burges Salmon LLP fields a local government practice that is praised for its ‘excellent procurement and state aid advice’. The Bristol team, led by Gary Soloman, counts local authority pension schemes, net-zero, and outsourcing amongst its areas of competence. Commercial projects partner and head of education sector Matthew Ramus is regularly sought after for his expertise in statutory interventions. Another key contact is procurement and projects expert John Houlden whose recent work includes regeneration projects and carbon neutrality. Director Paula McGeady‘s strengths lie in planning, highways, and CPOs.

Practice head(s):

Gary Solomon

Other key lawyers:

Matthew Ramus; John Houlden; Paula McGeady; Marcus Harling

Testimonials

‘Excellent procurement and state aid advice, as well as a sharp team that is able to consider issues from all angles.’

‘John Houlden is a pleasure to work with and gives excellent advice on procurement and state aid.’

‘Burges Salmon are first-rate litigators, and are an obvious choice for contentious local government work, especially in commercial or other high-value cases. In high-value pensions and procurement disputes, they are a top choice as well.’

‘John Houlden knows procurement inside out. In this highly technical area, his expertise is invaluable.’

Key clients

The Wales Pension Partnership

Birmingham City Council

Bristol City Council

Cornwall Council

Greater London Authority

Isle of Anglesey County Council

Kent County Council

London Legacy Development Corporation

Northamptonshire Children’s Trust Limited

North Somerset Council

Slough Children First Limited

Stratford on Avon District Council

Torbay Council

West Northamptonshire Council

Work highlights

  • Advising Bristol City Council on its ‘City Leap’ initiative, which has received national and international interest along with significant support from central government.
  • Advising the GLA and Transport for London on a series of major regeneration projects in the Royal Docks Opportunity Area, the Limmo and Beam Park developments in East London, alongside a number of smaller development projects across London.
  • Advising Isle of Anglesey County Council in relation to major energy and regeneration proposals in the area, including a tidal energy demonstration zone and in relation to the council’s port health authority requirements, resulting from Brexit.

Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP

Public bodies seek out Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP for its experience in regulatory work, litigation and procurement. The local authority, leisure, as well as the energy sector are further strengths of the Bristol-based team, led by Newcastle partner Iain Greenshields. Infrastructure projects are handled by Jonathan Bower and Charles Robson, while Victoria Redman is well versed in advising on planning and environment matters. Compulsory purchase orders (CPOs), highways, and town and country planning form part of Richard Guyatt‘s portfolio.

Practice head(s):

Iain Greenshields

Other key lawyers:

Jonathan Bower; Charles Robson; Victoria Redman; Richard Guyatt

Testimonials

‘WBD have a very skilled and experienced team who have guided us every step of the way and have gone above and beyond the call of duty many times.’

‘WBD’s partners are highly experienced and have provided excellent leadership in their respective fields.’

Key clients

Hampshire County Council

City of York Council

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

South Tees Development Corporation

North Somerset Council & West of England Combined Authority

Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority

Durham County Council

Sedgemoor District Council, Somerset West and Taunton Council, North Somerset Council & Somerset County Council

Fareham Borough Council

London Borough of Sutton

Tees Valley Combined Authority

Northumberland County Council

Newcastle City Council

Cleveland City Council

Hartlepool Borough Council

Sunderland City Council

Darlington Borough Council

Middlesbrough Council

Bristol City Council

Greater London Authority

South Gloucestershire Council

Kirklees Council

Portsmouth City Council

Broxbourne Borough Council

Hertfordshire County Council

London Borough of Lewisham

West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

Dover District Council

Folkestone and Hythe District Council

Somerset West and Taunton Council

Work highlights

  • Advising on the procurement of a heat network project in Solihull town centre in order to help it achieve its net-zero carbon targets.
  • Advising Kirklees Council on the Transpennine route upgrade with an estimated project cost of £1.5 billion.
  • Advising South Tees Development Corporation (STDC) in relation to all aspects of a joint venture for the ownership, operation, upgrade and expansion of the electricity distribution infrastructure of the 4,500 acre Teesworks site.

Ashfords LLP

‘The team just work exceptionally well’, remarks a client about the public sector team at Ashfords LLP, which is based in Exeter and Bristol, and covers the whole gamut of local government issues. Practice head Lucy Woods supports clients throughout the full lifecycle of public sector projects, while Jessica Taylor is well versed in advising on construction and engineering law. Also central to the team are employment specialist Charles Pallot and property litigator Sian Gibbon. Robin De Wreede combines real estate expertise with knowledge of public sector matters, including regeneration and development projects, as well as acquisition and disposal.

Practice head(s):

Lucy Woods

Other key lawyers:

Jessica Taylor; Charles Pallot; Sian Gibbon; Robin De Wreede

Testimonials

‘Robin de Wreede is an exceptional property lawyer. His speed of response conceals the detail he gives and the analysis behind that advice – he has that lovely knack of explaining the complicated in a straightforward manner.’

‘They are problem solvers and I can trust them to deliver results without making anything more complicated than it needs to be.’

‘Lucy Woods and her team are all extremely responsive, down to earth and an absolute pleasure to deal with. They provide their advice in a clear and concise way which makes a difficult topic easier to understand. Lucy is known for her expertise in the sector.’

Key clients

Wandsworth Borough Council and Richmond Upon Thames London Borough Council

London Borough of Newham

Watford Borough Council

Chichester District Council

Mendip District Council

Maidstone Borough Council

Cornwall Council

North Devon District Council and Devon County Council

Work highlights

  • Advised Watford Borough Council on all property related matters across its Croxley Park estate.
  • Acting as standing legal advisor to Wandsworth Borough Council and Richmond Upon Thames Borough Council who share legal services.
  • Advised Maidstone Borough Council in connection with a multi-million point leasehold acquisition of a multi-let office premises as an investment.

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey fields a public sector practice group whose areas of expertise include infrastructure, energy and space. The team is based in different South West locations: Practice head Brian Hitchcock focuses on procurement, engineering and construction out of Exeter, while Tris Tucker in Plymouth specialises in dispute resolution. In Truro, John Catchpole advises local authorities on matters pertaining to commercial property projects, particularly within the scope of infrastructure and development.

Practice head(s):

Brian Hitchcock

Other key lawyers:

Tris Tucker; John Catchpole

Key clients

Cornwall Council

Spaceport Cornwall (Cornwall Council)

Plymouth City Council

Devon County Council

London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Bristol City Council

Celtic Sea Power

Work highlights

  • Advised Cornwall Council on the acquisition of 120 acres of land at Langarth, Truro in order to develop the Langarth Garden Village, which will create 3,500 new homes, infrastructure, retail, employment and a landmark new stadium.
  • Advised Spaceport Cornwall on the commercial property, planning, environmental, procurement, state aid, safety and regulatory aspects of launch under the Space Industry Act 2018.
  • Provided legal services to Plymouth City Council for the design and construction of the Forder Valley Link Road and early feasibility stages of the Manadon large local major scheme (LLM).

Browne Jacobson LLP

Embedded into the national local authority practice, Browne Jacobson LLP’s South West public sector practice sports specialisms in planning and environmental matters as well as children’s and adult services. Local authority insurance claims and housing repair claims are becoming an increasing part of the team’s work, led by claims and litigation expert Joanne Pruden in Exeter and Peter Ware in Nottingham, the latter who focuses on local government commercial matters. Dale Collins is routinely involved in regulatory crime issues, and Thomas Howard covers the teams’ investments and transactions services. Jennifer Grigg left the firm in June 2021.

Practice head(s):

Joanne Pruden; Peter Ware

Other key lawyers:

Dale Collins; Thomas Howard

Key clients

Cornwall Council

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue

Devon County Council

Dorset County Council

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

East Devon District Council

Environment Agency

Exeter City Council

Isles of Scilly Council

Kernow CCG

Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council

Plymouth City Council

Public Sector Transformation Academy

Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust

West Devon Borough Council

Worcestershire County Council

Sedgemoor District Council

Somerset County Council

Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

South West Audit Partnership.

Work highlights

    Freeths LLP

    Freeths LLP joins the ranking this year with a local authorities practice that is 'able to bring forward great advice and excellent support at the times when it is absolutely required'. Embedded in the firm’s national structure, the practice advises public sector clients on a range of issues including regeneration, development and government grant initiatives. ‘Absolute rock’ Duncan Tringham heads the Bristol team, in which Dan Cuthbert and Nathan Holden are further key contacts.

    Practice head(s):

    Duncan Tringham

    Other key lawyers:

    Nathan Holden; Dan Cuthbert

    Testimonials

    ‘Duncan Tringham is an absolute rock. His advice and guidance is excellent and is matched by his experience and commitment.’

    ‘Throughout the time we’ve been working with Freeths and in particular Duncan Tringham, they have provided an excellent service, committed to achieving the outcomes that we as a team are trying to achieve. They are able to bring forward great advice and excellent support at the times when it is absolutely required.’

    Key clients

    Royal Borough of Greenwich

    Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

    Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

    Milton Keynes Development Partnership

    Buckinghamshire Council

    Cherwell District Council

    Solihull MBC

    Mansfield District Council

    Enfield Council

    Nottinghamshire County Council

    Cambridge City Council

    Leicester City Council

    Derby City Council

    Milton Keynes Council

    Telford and Wrekin Council

    Walsall Council

    Kettering Borough Council

    North West Leicestershire District Council

    Broxtowe Borough Council

    London Borough of Ealing

    Lincoln City Council

    West Northamptonshire Council

    North East Lincolnshire Council

    Nottinghamshire Police Authority

    London Borough of Bromley

    Kent County Council

    Corby Borough Council

    Merton London Borough Council

    Hertfordshire County Council

    Work highlights

    • Advising Cornwall Council on the Langarth Garden Village project involving the strategic acquisition and development of a new town with at least 4000 homes, new schools commercial, retail and public space and a £47 Million grant funded highway scheme in collaboration with three developers.
    • Advising Exeter City Council on a city regeneration scheme at the heart of Exeter known as City Point involving the redevelopment of the Civic Centre and central bus station to create a new multi-use development involving a new leisure complex, bus station, local and national government offices and residential and retail unit
    • Advising the West London Alliance on a digital project to roll out pioneering ‘Small Cells’ telecoms networks on hundreds of thousands of street furniture and other public assets across 7 London Boroughs.

    TLT

    The public sector team at TLT ‘takes the time to ensure they understand the key deliverables for the client and use this information to tailor its approach’. Andrew Glynn and Bill Hull jointly head the Bristol practice, which advises clients on procurement, IT transformations, and development and regeneration, amongst others. Commercial and corporate matters are routinely handled by David Isaacson.

    Practice head(s):

    Andrew Glynn; Bill Hull

    Other key lawyers:

    David Isaacson

    Testimonials

    ‘The team are knowledgeable, they provide advice quickly and it is clear to understand.’

    ‘TLT takes the time to ensure they understand the key deliverables for the client and use this information to tailor its approach.’

    Key clients

    London Borough of Lambeth

    Cornwall Council

    Oxfordshire County Council

    London Borough of Waltham Forest

    London Borough of Hounslow

    London Borough of Ealing

    Work highlights

    • Advising London Borough of Hounslow as part of a standing instruction to assist on real estate matters.
    • Advising Warrington Borough Council in relation to a highway infrastructure scheme.
    • Advising SSDC in relation to commercial property acquisitions.

    Trowers & Hamlins LLP

    Trowers & Hamlins LLP offers clients advice across the whole spectrum of local government related issues, ranging from employment and governance to projects and litigation. The practice is headed by a trio consisting of Lynne Rathbone, John Turnbull and Rory Stracey, all located in Exeter.

    Practice head(s):

    Lynne Rathbone; John Turnbull; Rory Stracey

    Other key lawyers:

    Georgina Savill-James

    Testimonials

    ‘The team is always very helpful with a wide and extensive knowledge base in planning and the environment.’

    ‘Rory Stracey has been very helpful when looking at forthcoming legislative changes and acting as a sounding board as he has a wide knowledge of local government processes at District Council level.’

    ‘Technical strength with a practical approach, I regard as sound advisors on legal matters.’

    ‘The team at Trowers has never turned down a challenge. Some of what we require is fast-paced, quick and accurate transactions, with various parties.’

    ‘I have to say one of the key partners that stands out is Georgina Savill-James, when we approached her with the work we had, she was genuinely excited to come along on our journey with us.’

    Key clients

    Dorset Council

    East Devon District Council

    West of England Combined Authority

    Access Your Care Ltd

    South Somerset District Council

    Gloucester City Council

    Bristol City Council

    Tewkesbury Borough Council

    Bath & North East Somerset Council

    Torbay Council

    Sedgemoor District Council

    Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council

    Tamworth Borough Council

    London Borough of Camden

    Westminster City Council

    Cheltenham Borough Council

    Sevenoaks District Council

    Work highlights

    • Acted for Access Your Care Ltd on the transfer of the provision of North Somerset District Council’s domiciliary care services from Alliance Living Care Limited to our client, providing cohesive employment, corporate, and commercial support.
    • Acting for Gloucester City Council on its latest city centre regeneration and employment initiative, the Forum development, providing full strategic support across our real estate, projects, and construction teams for the successful delivery of the project.
    • Delivering project and construction support to South Somerset District Council in respect of its public realm improvement works across regeneration sites of Chard, Wincanton and Yeovil.

    VWV

    VWV fields a local government team based in Bristol whose expertise extends to the areas of commercial property, governance and procurement. Practice head Allison Cook is well versed in matters relating to employment law and is routinely sought after by publicly founded bodies, charities and emergency services. Stephanie Rickard leads the firm’s procurement and subsidy control team with a particular focus on advising public sector clients.

    Practice head(s):

    Allison Cook

    Other key lawyers:

    Stephanie Rickard

    Key clients

    Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP)

    The West of England Combined Authority

    South Gloucestershire Council

    Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

    Fareham Borough Council

    Herefordshire Council

    Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

    North Somerset Council

    Avon Fire and Rescue

    Dorset Council

    Work highlights

    • Advising a Local Authority on an information law issue arising out of serious allegations and a resulting investigation against a senior officer.
    • Instructed to advise a Fire and Rescue Service on a range of employment and pensions law matters, including employment tribunal litigation involving allegations of discrimination.
    • Advised a local authority in relation to significant development which will include the construction of over 1500 new homes. We were instructed in relation to two parts of the transaction, real estate and procurement.