North West legal consortium appoints firms

The North West Legal Consortium (NWLC) has appointed 15 law firms to its new four-year panel, covering the period from 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2028. This panel enables consortium members, which include over 40 public organisations, to access legal services from selected firms. These organisations range from local councils and emergency services to social housing agencies and transport bodies.

The newly formed panel was structured after an extensive procurement process, during which NWLC divided legal services into five distinct areas. Firms were chosen to provide services across these categories, with up to six firms being selected for each lot. The exception was the "projects, procurement, commercial, and construction" lot, for which 10 firms were appointed.

The five service categories include:

• Civil litigation, prosecutions, and regulatory matters
• Property, planning, and environmental law
• Corporate governance, ethical standards, and information law
• Projects, procurement, commercial, and construction
• Social care and education

Browne Jacobson and Capsticks have been appointed as partners, working closely with the NWLC’s management team to deliver a variety of support initiatives. This includes training programs, an annual training event, and support for junior lawyers within consortium member organisations. Other firms on the panel include Brodies, DAC Beachcroft, DWF Law, Forbes, Freeths, Geldards, Hill Dickinson, Mann Roberts Solicitors, MSB Solicitors, Muckle, Stephensons, TLT, and Weightmans.

Anne Greenwood, Chair of the NWLC management board, expressed enthusiasm about the new panel: “We are pleased to announce the fourth iteration of our legal framework since the inception of NWLC in 2009. By welcoming eight new firms and two new partners, we look forward to the fresh ideas they will bring alongside our trusted, long-established firms.”

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council acts as the lead contracting authority for NWLC. Its members are spread across Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, and North Wales, with key participants including Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Transport for Greater Manchester, and the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales.

Fiona Pritchard, NWLC’s Consortium Development Manager, who took the role in January after a long career as a solicitor, highlighted the collaborative potential of the new panel. “I’m very excited about the opportunity to work with our new framework law firms and partners on collaborative legal activities, as well as the value-added initiatives we offer to members, including training, events, and communications via our regular newsletter.”

Bradley Martin, a partner at Browne Jacobson, also shared his excitement about the firm’s appointment as a partner: “We are thrilled to be awarded partner status for NWLC, which comprises high-profile members delivering hugely important work in their local communities that requires legal support.”

Tiffany Cloynes, Head of Local Government at Capsticks, added: “This appointment allows us to support local authorities at a time when demand is high. It helps NWLC partner councils focus on their communities while having dependable legal services at hand.”

With the new panel in place, the NWLC aims to continue its mission of facilitating collaboration in procuring high-quality legal services, ensuring its members can maximise efficiency and effectiveness in legal support.