Data dive: The firms leading the way on public sector panels
Dentons, TLT and Ashurst are all winners when it comes to the public sector.
Fountain Court silk to investigate Raab complaints
Fountain Court silk Adam Tolley KC has been appointed to investigate conduct complaints made against the deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice Dominic Raab MP. The UK Government has tasked Tolley KC to investigate two formal complaints against Raab made on 15 November. These two complaints refer to Raab’s stint as foreign […]
Hyde Housing Association appoints 19 firms to £250m panel
Law firms including CMS, Gowling WLG and Pinsent Masons have secured places on a £250m legal services framework for UK housing association Hyde. A total of 19 firms have been awarded the contract, which began on 2 November 2022 and will last for four years until 1 November 2026. However, each member may enter in […]
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“Law firms are rich compared to the real world”: SSQ founder on why he is switching from the Conservatives to Labour
Even with the UK Government u-turning on its controversial tax cut for the highest earners, supporters and donors to the party have been expressing their reservations – including the chairman of legal recruiter SSQ. According to donor records, SSQ’s chairman and founder Gareth Quarry made three separate donations of £25,000 to the Conservative party between […]
Crown Commercial Service appoints nearly 60 firms to new panel
The UK Government’s Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has appointed 58 firms to its refreshed public sector roster. The review process began last year and the panel replaces the one established in 2018 when 69 firms were appointed across six lots. This year there are seven lots. There are three full service provision lots (one for […]
Pinsents partner joins Severn Trent as GC
Severn Trent has recruited a new general counsel ahead of the retirement of Bronagh Kennedy, who has been in the role for nearly 12 years. Didar Dhillon has been appointed as the water company’s new legal chief. Dhillon will take over as GC for both Severn Trent and Severn Trent Water, effective from early […]
Tortoise Media and Conservative Party clash as pre-action letter deadline passes
The Conservative Party refused to respond to Tortoise’s pre-action letter for judicial review by the news outlet’s 5pm deadline on Wednesday. But is this just another case of political activism via judicial review?
UK Government’s legal spend revealed for 2021/22
Nearly half of The Lawyer’s UK Top 50 firms picked up fees from the UK Government over 2021/22, according to a Freedom of Information request. The UK Government Legal Department spent a total of £36.57m on external legal services over the financial year 2021/22. Given there are 52 weeks in a year, this equates to £703,295 […]
Eight firms selected for £49m education sector panel
Firms including Eversheds Sutherland and Shakespeare Martineau have won spots on a slimmed-down public sector panel valued at £49m. The Crescent Purchasing Consortium’s (CPC) new legal services framework provides a comprehensive set of services for the education sector. The purpose of the framework is to allow efficient and easy access to legal services at reduced […]
UK Government picks legal adviser for Covid-19 inquiry
Burges Salmon has won a £9.8m contract to advise on the UK Government’s upcoming inquiry into Covid-19. The firm made it onto the Crown Commercial Service’s general advice panel at the end of last year, putting it in a prime position to be considered for the work. It will advise alongside Fieldfisher on certain aspects […]
Eight firms score places on UK Government rail panel
The UK Government’s Department for Transport has finalised its new rail panel, with appointments for the likes of Dentons and Osborne Clarke.
Gowling WLG launches staff-oriented ticket scheme for Commonwealth Games
Gowling WLG has launched a series of internal initiatives for staff buying Commonwealth Games tickets in a bid to engage them in one of the firm’s key public service mandates. The firm won the principal advisory role for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games three years ago following a tender process for the mandate. Gowling, which […]