Simon Goacher > Weightmans LLP > Liverpool, England > Lawyer Profile
Weightmans LLP Offices
100 OLD HALL STREET
LIVERPOOL
L3 9QJ
England
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Simon Goacher
Position
Simon joined Weightmans in February 2013 to head up the Local Government team. Formerly head of legal and democratic services at Cheshire West and Cheshire Council, Simon Goacher has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in local government law spanning almost two decades.
He has led on significant projects including an innovative housing stock transfer at Wirral Council and on the promotion of a private Act of Parliament. He was awarded the title of Local Government Young Solicitor of the year in 2006. As Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer at Wirral Council, Simon was the lead legal adviser for key projects including regeneration schemes in New Brighton and Birkenhead.
In 2009, he was appointed Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer of the newly created Cheshire West and Chester Council. This involved the creation of a single authority from four councils. Simon has been a member of the projects boards for a number of major projects including the creation of Council-owned companies, as well as significant outsourcing and regeneration projects.
Simon is a go-to adviser for authorities on significant governance and vires issues throughout the country including carrying out independent reviews on sensitive and high profile issues.
He is a leading practitioner on member conduct and has carried out a number of significant investigations on behalf of local authorities into the behaviour of elected members.
Lawyer Rankings
North West > Public sector > Local government
Weightmans LLP Liverpool-based local government practice offers a broad spectrum of advice to local councils and authorities ranging from regeneration projects and property transactions to procurement issues. With a previous career in local government law, Simon Goacher heads up the practice, and is an established practitioner on member conduct having carried out investigations on behalf of local authorities. While public law expert Morris Hill specialises in social care matters including child protection, Clive Bleasdale specialises in commercial property law and currently acts for Liverpool City Council on the £1bn Paddington Village project.
London > Public sector > Local government
(Leading individuals)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.
London > Private client > Court of protection
Weightmans LLP fields an excellent national team, which covers a wide range of health & welfare, as well as property & financial affairs matters. It acts for a large number of local authorities, NHS Trusts and private health and social care providers. Areas of expertise span advising on consent to medical treatment, the overlap between the Mental Health Act/Mental Capacity Act, and issues surrounding safeguarding. At the helm are Simon Goacher, Richard Jolly, Richard Bate and Sarah Louise Walker.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Insurance > Clinical negligence: defendant
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Dispute resolution > Debt recovery
- Public sector > Education
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- Private client > Family
- Public sector > Health
- Employment > Health and safety
- Employment > Pensions
- Insurance > Personal injury: defendant
- Insurance > Professional negligence
Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: Liverpool
- Employment > Employment
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Public sector > Local government
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media and entertainment
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate
- Real estate > Social housing
- Transport
- Finance > Banking and finance
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: Manchester
- Real estate > Commercial property: Liverpool
- Real estate > Construction
- Private client > Contentious trusts and probate
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Liverpool
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Manchester
- Real estate > Planning and environment
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Real estate > Commercial property: Manchester
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Crime: general crime and fraud