Pinsents, Wragges and DLA among firms to win panel roles for SE boroughs consortium

A line-up of more than 20 City and national firms have been appointed to the legal panel of a consortium of London and Kent boroughs.

The successful firms include Wragge & Co, Pinsent Masons, DLA Piper, Trowers & Hamlins and Dickinson Dees, after more than eighty competed for places on the panel.

The consortium, which is headed up by Bromley County Council's director of legal Mark Bowen, comprises eight outer London boroughs and five in Kent, as well as the City of London, which joined the group several months after it was initially set up.

Bowen commented: "The founder members were eight outer London local authorities with similar size legal departments, similar external spend and similar pressures, that were all looking towards more formalised arrangements."

Pinsents projects partner Alan Aisbett commented: "A large number of firms have been instructed to advise on a multitude of issues. Local government bodies are currently looking for value for money, but we have nonetheless seen an increase in public sector work."

Wragges' employment partner Mark Greenburgh commented: "The public sector is currently undergoing significant change, and this change requires lawyering. Although we are seeing fewer PFIs in the current economic climate, there has been an uptick on the business efficacy side, which is interesting for us."

Last October, Pinsents was among sixteen firms to win places on the London Boroughs Legal Alliance's first-ever panel of advisers. The alliance, which comprises six London boroughs, also appointed Eversheds and Kennedys to the joint panel, which was set up in a bid to reduce legal costs.

Pinsent Masons on the Legal Week Wiki