Public Sector Solicitors

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Our public sector lawyers work with central and local government.

We advise the Welsh Assembly Government, UK central government, local government and many other public sector bodies.

Our understanding of the issues and pressures in this sector is the result of our unrivalled experience of working with the public sector in Wales and the wider UK over many years.

Based in Cardiff and London the Hugh James Public Sector team have the in-depth knowledge and extensive expertise required to address your specific needs.

Our range of public sector legal services means we can offer the complete legal package. Our Public Sector team is made up from legal specialists from across the Firm who regularly advise on the issues facing the public sector.

Hugh James Public Sector services

Commercial Services and Procurement

The Hugh James commercial team has been supporting public sector procurement and legal teams in complying with public procurement legislation for more than ten years. Given the present climate we are now seeing more challenges than ever against procurement projects thus making it essential the Regulations are followed.

The team also provides advice on a range of commercial issues such as, day to day support and advice to clients on the drafting, use and interpretation of contracts. The commercial services team also advise on commercial projects, outsourcing, information technology and competition/state aid.

Go to our commercial service information page

Commercial Litigation

Our public sector lawyers are specialists in providing the public sector with dispute management advice. Minimising costs, damage and disruption is always critical. We provide a complete legal service for all aspects of commercial litigation and dispute management including:

Judicial review
Challenges to procurement procedures
Contractual disputes
Defamation claims
Information technology disputes
Insolvency
Intellectual property disputes
Liability claims
Debt recovery

Our lawyers include trained mediators and specialists in negotiation, mediation and other means of alternative dispute resolution.

Go to our commercial litigation information page
Go to our alternative dispute resolution page

Personnel and Employment

The Hugh James employment team provides a comprehensive range of services in dealing with professional and operational HR issues and handles a variety of employment work including employment law advice and tribunal representation, HR consultancy, and training. Read more on our experiences with employment services for the public sector.

Go to our employment service information page
Go to our HR consultancy service information page
Go to our training pages

Property and Construction

Our property and construction legal specialists are experienced in delivering a full range of property services to the public sector, including advice on major regeneration projects. We deal with all aspects of property work including acquisitions, disposals, leases, licences, tenancies, planning and infrastructure agreements, collaboration and consortium agreements, commercial land development, energy and regeneration projects, easements and wayleaves and boundary and construction issues.

Got to our Commercial Property Service page
Go to our Construction, Energy and Projects Service page
Go to our Property Dispute Resolution Service page
Go to our Social Housing page

Health and Safety

Unlike other forms of crime, proof of intent, knowledge or neglect is not a pre-requisite to prosecution. The HSE and other enforcement agencies such as the Police, Local Authorities and the Environment Agency enforce the law with a presumption in favour of prosecution. Our specialist team has extensive experience of these cases in sectors such as construction, waste management, transport, quarries, leisure and healthcare. The team has a UK wide practice which encompasses joint police and HSE investigations and prosecutions as well as Inquests.

Our experience includes fatal health and safety prosecutions including Corporate Manslaughter. The introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter Act 2007 will make it easier to prosecute and convict organisations in both the private and public sectors for workplace fatalities. The team is currently acting on behalf of one of the first companies in the UK to be investigated for the new offence of Corporate Manslaughter. We have presented training on corporate manslaughter throughout the UK to sectors including Construction, Insurance and Healthcare and have advised both local and national government departments on the implication of this new legislation on projects such as transport management plans.

Go to our Health and Safety page

Public Law and Governance

The Hugh James Corporate team regularly advises public bodies on the incorporation of and the ongoing constitutional and regulatory advice.

With the increasing popularity of partnering/collaborative working and the move towards public/private consortia, our experience in establishing and advising on joint venture agreements and collaborative agreements (examples of which are provided below) demonstrates that we provide sound legal and commercial advice. We have acted on a number of high level joint ventures and consortia and are well aware of the legal, regulatory and public law requirements and issues that Natural England would need to consider when entering into such arrangements.

Go to our Corporate page

Go to our Regulatory Investigations page

Corporate Finance

The Hugh James Banking and Finance lawyers are dedicated to advising and supporting clients in respect of their financial activities.

Whilst we receive many banking instructions from financial lenders a large part of our work is in acting for borrowers and, in particular, borrowers such as housing associations, educational and charitable establishments and other companies who are not in the mainstream, such as the Welsh Rugby Union Limited/Millennium Stadium plc.

The team also assist the Welsh Assembly Government’s Corporate Finance arm, Finance Wales. We also act for the providers of grant funding.

Go to our banking and finance information page

Public Sector Clients

The Hugh James public sector team have unrivelled experience of acting for public sector including local and national government. Examples of our clients are:

Central Government:

Welsh Assembly Government
Cabinet Office

Local Government:

Cardiff City and County Council
Caerphily County Council
Newport City and County Council
Powys County Council
The City and County of Swansea

Public Sector Bodies:

Cardiff University
Crown Estates
Defra
Environment Agency (both nationally and Wales)
Forestry Commission
Natural England
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
University of Wales Institute, Cardiff

Public Sector Legal Updates

The Hugh James Public Sector legal team appreciate the importance of keeping our clients up to date with the latest legal developments. We provide legal updates for the public sector and offer training on the issues that will assist our public sector clients to achieve their aims.

Contact our Public Sector team now

Ioan Prydderch Head of Public Sector

Ioan Prydderch