Univ Prof Dr Chris Harper > Bevan Brittan LLP > Bristol, England > Lawyer Profile

Led by Ash Woodcock from the firm’s Birmingham office, the sizeable local government team at Bevan Brittan LLP has a national reach with disputes, climate change response and levelling-up funding among the mandates that have been keeping the Bristol team busy. Employment specialist Sarah Lamont has a niche focus on the processes required for disciplining or dismissing statutory officers. Chris Harper is well versed in company acquisitions and sales, while contentious construction specialist Louise Robling bolsters the team’s PFI disputes expertise. David Hutton has retired.

Reputed for its ‘exceptional knowledge and understanding of the ways that local government works‘, Bevan Brittan LLP is a strong choice for local councils and housing associations, as well as a number of non-governmental organisations and SMEs. The team is headed up by Chris Harper, an ‘exceptional’ corporate partner noted for his focus on regenerations and property development joint ventures. A specialist in SME transactions, Marti Burgess works with various founders and management teams on all manner of corporate deals and contractual matters, while Andrew Spicer is noted for his focus on health and social care clients, working with a number of trusts and local authorities on sales and acquisitions.

Bevan Brittan LLP is well-versed in handling both public and private sector corporate transactions, including M&A, joint ventures, private equity investments, management buy-outs, and secondary market activity. It has particular expertise acting for local authorities, the NHS, and central government bodies. The team is co-headed by Chris Harper and Christian Hunt, both of whom have considerable corporate experience.