WH Public Sector

Effective procurement, contracting and outsourcing need a commercially effective and future-proofed solution. From framework agreements to contracting services including IT, facilities management and construction, to developing new corporate structures or trading companies, our specialist commercial lawyers are here to help. As well as providing assistance with your procurement exercises, we also handle procurement challenges and provide a                                                   helping hand through the automatic suspension process and the challenge process to ensure                                         successful outcomes.

Our specialist team of data protection lawyers can provide help and support to ensure your compliance with data protection regulations and advise on everything from privacy notices, data sharing and Information Commissioner’s investigation to audits, cookie notices and subject access requests.

Our experienced team of Intellectual Property and Trade Marks specialists can help protect your hard work, offering advice and guidance on the legal ownership of your intellectual property and options on how to safeguard it for the future. We can also help you protect your IP internationally, commercialise it through licencing agreements, as well as offering a Trademarking and design registration support service.

We provide a clear 360-degree view on governance, and advise on everything from the rights and responsibilities of officers, observers and members and reporting lines, through to rules and procedures for decision making, conflicts of interest, accounting for benefits and stakeholder rights.

When it comes to PPP/PFI and LIFT schemes, our team of experts is amongst the most experienced in the UK. We have been entrusted with many ‘pathfinders’ and ‘firsts’ – leading the way on some high profile public/private sector projects across the country, and being uniquely experienced when things need to be resolved too. We have resolved many disputes relating to contract terms and performance, are handling several imminent contract expiries,                                         voluntary and default terminations and offer a contract monitoring support service.

Our employment team support a wide range of public and third sector organisations from schools and academies to local authorities, NHS trusts and charities on all areas of employment law including: day-to-day advisory support on matters such as performance, conduct and sickness absence; ongoing strategic support such as advice on restructuring;                                                and complex/contentious disputes such as Employment Tribunal claims and settlement                                                    agreements. They also offer “HR Protect”, a package where clients receive all day-to-day HR                                          and employment law advice for a fixed monthly price.

Our team of specialist immigration solicitors offer a full visa and immigration advice service. Our significant experience includes supporting organisations on a variety of business immigration matters including sponsor licence applications, sponsor licence management and compliance and right to work issues. We help businesses recruit new members of staff from overseas and secure their Skilled Worker visas for them as well as switching existing employees and UK based recruits to new visas to allow them to be retained by the organisation.

We understand managing estates and developing assets in the public domain is a complex and ongoing job that requires a razor-sharp, strategic focus. Our multi-disciplinary team of public sector property, construction, planning, environmental and property litigation lawyers deliver a seamless approach that allows us to support your long term goals, whilst focussing on the details that matter.

Our planning lawyers specialise in all areas of  planning, compulsory purchase and highways law. They advise on everything from planning agreements, planning appeals, judicial reviews, planning enforcement, and compulsory purchase orders as well as infrastructure proposals, development consent orders and public rights of way matters. The team also consists of chartered planners and technical drawers who are ably equipped to submit planning                                                            applications and appeals, representation to Development Plans and objections to planning                                            applications.

Our team of experienced construction lawyers have many combined years of experience working across the public and third sector on building, refurbishment and engineering projects of all shapes and size. This breadth of knowledge means our construction team understands the world of construction in all its many guises.

Our specialist environmental lawyers can advise you on the full range of environmental matters. We take a pro-active approach to compliance with regulatory requirements in order to address the potential reputational damage that may arise from breaches of environmental law. And in the event an environmental incident does occur, we have particular expertise in dealing with environmental litigation and defending clients both against prosecution and claims.

Our specialist property litigation team have a wealth experience advising on all types of property related disputes including the service of notices, possession, dilapidations, service charge disputes and other commercial landlord and tenant disputes; telecoms matters, easement, covenant, adverse possession and boundary disputes and, finally, property related professional negligence claims.

Our commercial disputes team have years of experience advising on all types of disputes from contractual disputes, PFI challenges, defamation/privacy, fraud and insurance disputes to property disputes, intellectual property disputes, IT disputes, Judicial review, shareholder disputes, enforcement of restrictive covenants, reputation management advice and professional negligence.

In parallel with protecting your rights via litigation where necessary, we always consider, and are well versed in, pursuing appropriate methods of alternative dispute resolution (ADR, including, without limitation, mediation, early neutral evaluation and without prejudice negotiations) to resolve even the most entrenched of disputes. Our team has a strong track record of success with the exploration of ADR and regularly substantial costs savings for their clients in the process.

Whilst we cannot be the mediator in any dispute where our client is a party, we can provide mediation services to third parties which you may know or have commercial dealings with. Multiple of our experienced litigators are also accredited mediators who act impartially to facilitate (whether virtually or in person) the resolution of dispute for parties who have agreed to mediate and then appointed them to conduct the mediation process.

Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults is a complex and sensitive job. With a breadth and depth of experience honed over years working on complex safeguarding issues, our team has the know-how to advise you on handling such situations, and will give you the confidence to make the right decisions at the right time.

Our specialist team can provide impartial advice on a range of finance options. You’ll benefit from our experience advising public sector borrowers on loans, including development finance, refinancing and arrangements designed to secure or provide affordable funding for important initiatives. Acting for funders to the public sector gives us a unique 360 degree view of the financial landscape.

Our experienced team of debt and insolvency specialists have a wealth of expert knowledge assisting the public sector, particularly local authorities and can deal with both straightforward and complex cases involving, for example, avoidance of liability, deceased estates and debtors outside of the UK. In every case, we employ clear lines of communications, a transparent and fair pricing structure and solutions tailored to your individual needs.

The team has also handled a number of insolvencies in the PFI and other service sectors and has been able to provide practical guidance on overcoming the immediate practical impact of such circumstances arising.

Our team assist clients on the full range of criminal, regulatory and enforcement matters and can provide support through all stages of proceedings, from investigation management through representation at formal interviews (including interviews under caution) and before any court or tribunal. We have a particular expertise in advising on Public Inquiries and health and safety challenges.

Our competition and Subsidy Control team work with a range of organisations helping them get to grips with this complex legal area. Our remit includes providing trade-related competition advice covering commercial arrangements, the conduct of firms that are dominant in a market, mergers and joint ventures, public procurement and Subsidy Control.

Our specialist team of health and care Inquest lawyers work with health and care organisations, as well as with blue light and emergency services, to provide responsive legal support, advice and court representation in respect of inquests and associated coronial matters.

We have a committed, highly experienced team of Court of Protection solicitors who deal with a range of legal matters and can provide friendly, responsive advice and representation as and when you need it, whether that be in normal office hours or not.

Our health and care advisory team have extensive experience in handling complex medico-legal matters. Legal risk management is always at the forefront of our minds and we provide support every step of the way, from initial response through to hearings.

In addition to advising your organisation, we are able to support stakeholders and Directors on private matters relating to them. Our highly specialist and experienced teams are as sensitive as they are skilled, and help guide you through often complex and emotional times. They are able to advise you on a full range of services from Wills, Trusts, Estate and Inheritance Tax Planning, Powers of Attorney and Administration of Estates, to relationship matters, matters concerning children, contested estates, personal injury, criminal defence and rural estates.