Central Government

Michelmores has an established reputation for its work in the public sector, and numbers many central government departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies amongst its clients. We handle matters from the routine up to the complex, high profile and politically sensitive. Our Central Government Solicitors have a wealth of knowledge and experience directly relevant to the legal issues that such bodies are likely to face.

Our experience is bolstered by our understanding of the regulatory framework and other constraints within which our central government clients must work – and we work in partnership with them to achieve their objectives, with the provision of the best legal services at the best price.

Recent experience

Police Force: acting on the £multi-million disposal of a 19-hectare site to a residential developer.

Police Force: legal, strategic and procurement advice on ICT contracts.

Police Force: acting for the Metropolitan Police Service on the acquisition of the Empress State Building in Earls Court, London for £250m

NHS Trust: assisted with drafting all procurement documentation relating to £50m redevelopment programme, and with establishing appropriate selection criteria.

Health Trusts (various): Tribunal hearings (whistleblowing), TUPE, organisational change management, major service outsourcing projects.

Health body: advising in relation to an agreement to commercialise two IT-based workflow products.

Local Authority: assisting with all aspects of the competitive dialogue procurement of a strategic materials recycling facility project.

Local Authorities (Key London Authorities and South West): High-profile tribunal hearings (equal pay, whistleblowing, discrimination, victimisation, freedom of expression); contentious grievance issues and appeals; negotiating compromise agreements; union recognition issues; secondments; drafting contracts and policies; TUPE; outsourcing; Data Protection and Freedom of Information Act requests.

Local Authorities: superfast broadband. Advising on £100m project and the £2.5bn roll out under the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) national programme.  On-going support as member of BDUK’s core specialist advisory team, including FOIA requests.

Local Authority: preparation of template contracts for purchasing goods and services and for framework arrangements.

Government Department:  private developer schemes, at sites across England and Wales, under which the department contracted with developers for the construction of significant buildings, then taking a lease on completion of the works.

Universities UK member: procurement through the Competitive Dialogue procedure of a £100 million plus student residences project on a greenfield/farmyard site.

Executive Agency: employment litigation. TUPE and procurement training. Advice on procurement of a supercomputer under competitive dialogue including negotiation with bidders on legal/commercial issues.

Executive Agency: advising the Met Office on a major procurement of its multi-million pound supercomputer. Also providing secondment support.

Ombudsman: advising on all the employment law aspects of statutory transfer of staff and assets to new body.

Areas of focus

KEY CONTACTS
Richard Honey
Richard Honey
Partner
TEAM
Carol McCormack
Carol McCormack
Partner
Andrew Tobey
Andrew Tobey
Partner
Hannah Slater
Hannah Slater
Senior Associate
Jonny Lane
Jonny Lane
Associate
Ben Luxton
Ben Luxton
Solicitor