Public sector

We have a strong connection to the public sector, advising central government departments, local authorities, and non-department public bodies on a full range of legal matters. The first incarnation of Winckworth Sherwood advised the new Metropolitan Police Service on property matters in the late eighteenth century, and we have developed our public sector offering ever since, growing and adapting to the changing needs of our public sector clients.

We can advise you on the procedures of Parliament and the devolved legislatures of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, in whose jurisdictions we have long-standing connections and experience. We can assist you with the impact of new and proposed legislation, and we will also advise you on making representations through the most appropriate channels.

We draft amendments to Public Bills and both promote and petition against Hybrid Bills and Private Bills on behalf of clients. Our parliamentary team specialises in public infrastructure schemes, and is recognised nationally as a leader in this field. We have wide experience of advising both promoters of and objectors to schemes such as harbours, railways and other transport, reservoirs, electricity operating stations and other utilities infrastructure. Our service covers everything from compulsory purchase to planning and environmental issues.

Our commercial lawyers can advise you on issues relating to public procurement, European law, constitutional law, human rights, the impact of the Data Protection Act, outsourcing and commercial contracts.

Several factors combine to complicate the kinds of transactions undertaken by local authorities. Firstly, the statutory framework is unique. Secondly, a large number of parties can be involved, including from the government, charity and private sectors. Thirdly, assessing risk and reward is difficult when it is impossible to put a financial figure on either.

Our housing and regeneration lawyers regularly advise local authority clients on regeneration projects, ranging from large scale infrastructure to the redevelopment of thousands of homes. Our advice to some of the country's largest homebuilders gives us a unique perspective on the public-private interface, which is an increasingly complex and prevalent part of projects. Knowing both sides of the deal, we can guide you to an amicable and swift agreement, whether it be a development, acquisition or disposal.

Our planning and environmental team advise independently and in co-ordination with our housing and regeneration lawyers and our infrastructure group.

This experience has been built up working for around a third of the UK's local authorities. Recent high profile transport projects include Crossrail in London, the redevelopment of Edinburgh's Waverley station and the proposed tramway system in Leeds. We have also advised on a large number of housing and regeneration projects, for local authorities in Hertfordshire, and in Lewisham and Hammersmith in London. In each of these projects we were able to bring to bear both public sector understanding and pragmatic commercial awareness.

There are a large number of non-departmental public bodies that sit just outside the remit of central government, at "arms length" from the ministers that are responsible for them, and we are arranged to deal with their unique concerns.

Whether you are an advisory, executive, tribunal, or an independent monitoring board, non-departmental public body, we can advise you on all the areas mentioned above, as well as employment matters (both contentious and non-contentious).