Bevan Brittan Appointed to Southwark Solicitors' Framework

2 October 2018: Bevan Brittan is among the law firms that have been newly appointed to the legal panel at Southwark Council in London.

The solicitors’ framework is a four-year agreement that will enable the Council to obtain specialist advice and assistance when needed to support and maintain the delivery of a high quality professional service provided by its in-house legal team.

Bevan Brittan has been appointed to:

• Lot one (complex matters): property and planning; commercial contracts and procurement; complex commercial litigation; employment, governance and public law.
• Lot two (general matters): commercial contracts and procurement; general litigation; housing; health and social care/social care litigation; employment; education.

Judith Barnes, lead partner for the tender, said:

“Naturally, we are delighted to have been appointed to the framework and look forward to working with the Council to help achieve its strategic objectives in the current challenging financial environment along with support for the other framework bodies, many of which partner with the Council."

The framework arrangements will not only be available to Southwark Council, but also to other London boroughs, their wholly owned companies, London CCGs, the Fire Authority, London Councils and the Local Government Association.

Doreen Forrester-Brown, Director of Law & Democracy and Monitoring Officer at Southwark, said: 

“The new framework will support Southwark to deliver its fairer future promises of achieving value for money, through the maintenance of competitive fixed rates and quality assured legal services. The framework is required to support the in-house team where increased capacity is required or where the expertise is not available in-house."

“In addition to providing added value to the Council’s legal team and other departments, the new framework will also generate considerable soft benefits for the local community in Southwark which include but is not limited to presentations at schools, mentoring for Southwark young people, work experience and placements, widening access sessions for the local community to provide information about how to pursue a career in law, the provision of pro bono advice and legal surgeries to local community groups, support for community groups and local based charities and sessions of professional skills support for new business start-ups.”