Welcome to the Public Law Today/Local Government Lawyer Marketplace Portal.

Here you can find the full range of services that public law departments and lawyers need. For departments, this page provides a directory of specialist legal advisers - including local authority legal departments that provide external services - expert witnesses, consultants, training courses, technology providers and much else besides.

MARKET NEWS Sep 21, 2020 LLG President warns on Law Society representation for sector, impact of exit payment cap on those earning £40k+ Sep 07, 2020 Cumbria County Council legal team and Swansea Council solicitor shortlisted for Law Society Excellence Awards Sep 02, 2020 LGSS Law announces return to profit Aug 10, 2020 MPs on Justice Committee warn of impact on legal profession of COVID-19 Aug 10, 2020 DAC Beachcroft unveils sixth successive year of growth, increased profitability ahead of impacts of COVID-19 Aug 05, 2020 Bevan Brittan sees turnover pass £50m for 2019/20, double-digit growth in profit	TENDERS AND INSTRUCTIONS Sep 16, 2020 Newly-merged education group to establish legal services panel Sep 10, 2020 Yorkshire council to set up legal services framework panel Sep 08, 2020 Trowers advises not-for-profit housing company on £100m regeneration project Sep 07, 2020 University names Eversheds Sutherland to £1.2m legal services contract Sep 01, 2020 Council to hire legal services provider on £1.7m contract to advise on major bypass Sep 01, 2020 Welsh social landlord appoints council and eight firms to £4.2m legal services framework
PEOPLE Sep 21, 2020 Top licensing QC joins 11KBW Sep 15, 2020 Doughty Street strengthens public law and civil liberties team with four barristers including QC Sep 14, 2020 Housing and property specialist joins Cornerstone Barristers Sep 11, 2020 Shadow authorities for new Northamptonshire unitaries name prospective directors of legal Sep 09, 2020 Head of Government Legal Department stands down amid reports of unhappiness at re-writing of Withdrawal Agreement Aug 21, 2020 Lambeth Council announces new interim Director of Legal and Governance	TECHNOLOGY Aug 14, 2020 Thomson Reuters acquires document bundling platform CaseLines Feb 12, 2020 Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal implements CaseLines platform as part of digital transformation Jan 30, 2020 City council to hold soft market testing exercise for potential new case management system Nov 12, 2019 Government awards £2m in funding for technology firm to support digital transformation of legal sector Oct 18, 2019 Technology provider Caselines hires ex-practice manager for shared legal service to develop UK business Oct 15, 2019 Bar regulator opts for CaseLines as part of new-look regulatory operations
COMMENT AND ANALYSIS Striking out in a new direction: Setting up an ABS What does it take to set up a legal services alternative business structure? Hilary Irving of North Yorkshire County Council outlines the risks and rewards. The Company Sec in local government As commercialisation grows, Azhar Ghose outlines the increasing importance of the Company Secretary role within local authorities and offers some tips on how it can be performed. One size does not fit all Offering a one-size-fits-all approach will inevitably undermine the relationships we have with our clients, writes Geoff Wild. Personal philosophies Chris Guy, a former local authority head of legal, sets out how he tried to overcome his weaknesses. Aiming for the top How should you go about securing the position of head of legal at a local authority? Chris Guy shares some thoughts. Understanding the objectives of clients What will make your clients relish the opportunity to work with you again: content or delivery? Geoff Wild considers the issues. Professionalism or mucking in? “Perception is reality, but it’s the clients' perceptions that we have to address, not our own” - Read Geoff Wild's latest blog. Ever decreasing circles Gwendoline Davies, Andrew Northage and Robert Starr analyse the latest case to further limit legal professional privilege. Service standards or service excellence? Service standards could have the effect of lowering expectations of excellence when we should be raising them instead, writes Geoff Wild. Brand values or independent thought? Does having a proper regard for ensuring the right degree of independence make you appear aloof, arrogant and uncaring? Geoff Wild reports. Challenge your perspectives … In the first in a series of articles, Geoff Wild considers how clients assess their lawyers. Better than ever Jayne Francis-Ward, head of EMLawShare, sets out the highlights from the legal services consortium's fifth conference. Helping to define the client With Lawyers in Local Government calling for clarification of who local authority solicitors can act for, Crispin Passmore sets out the Solicitors Regulation Authority's view. Selling your services Iain Miller deals with the question of what is permissible under the SRA's Handbook and the Legal Services Act 2007 for those local authorities looking to sell their services more widely. Lead or follow? The number of in-house counsel in the private sector has boomed as the general counsel role has grown in importance. Paul Cummins looks at the lessons for local government lawyers. Dancing with the devil? Tanya Corsie of Iken Business explains why you should be using technology to improve your service. Improving internal efficiency The LexisPSL Local Government team provide a checklist for a continuous improvement model in the context of contemplating the delivery of shared legal services. The shape of things to come Derek Bedlow looks at the implications of the Legal Department of the Future survey for how legal departments organise, recruit and retain their staff. A short guide to shared legal services The LexisPSL Local Government team explain the background to and advantages and disadvantages of shared legal services in achieving improved cost efficiency within the public sector. Can’t get no satisfaction? What effect have the cuts had on local government lawyers’ ambitions and morale? Derek Bedlow looks at the results of our exclusive survey of more than 300 local government lawyers and assesses the implications for local authority legal teams. Up for the challenge? With the local government sector under huge pressure, legal departments are being tested to the limit. Helen Edwards of Kennedy Cater analyses how they are responding.