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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. Read more

Dec 04, 2019

Thirteen barristers to join family law team at Parklane Plowden Chambers

A group of 13 barristers specialising in family law are to move next year to Parklane Plowden Chambers.

Dec 04, 2019

ICO regulatory enforcement lawyer moves to St John’s Buildings

A regulatory enforcement lawyer at the Information Commissioner’s Office, Aaminah Khan, has joined St John’s Buildings.

Dec 02, 2019

Browne Jacobson chooses leading member of government sector group as new managing partner

National law firm Browne Jacobson has elected corporate partner Richard Medd as its new managing partner with effect from 1 May 2020 for a three year term.

Nov 28, 2019

Former Deputy Head of Legal at Blackpool joins Forbes Solicitors as Senior Associate

The former acting Head of Legal and Deputy Head of Legal (Regeneration and Governance) at Blackpool Borough Council, Gemma Duxbury, has joined Forbes Solicitors as a Senior Associate.

Nov 25, 2019

Law Society issues updated practice note on legal professional privilege

The Law Society has issued an updated practice note on legal professional privilege (LPP) to reflect recent developments in case law.

Nov 22, 2019

Local government legal work increases, recruitment squeezed but morale up, exclusive new research reveals

Local authorities face a legal recruitment squeeze as levels of legal work continue to grow exponentially, research published this week by Local Government Lawyer has found.

Continues below

Being a legal locum in local government

An increasing number of legal professionals are becoming locums. Rayhaneh Tehrani and Laura Smith explain the reasons why this is the case, and set out what they think candidates should consider when looking for jobs in local government.

Making the right choice

Jennifer Mellani writes about her journey to being a local government lawyer specialising in health and social care.

Firm foundations

Are you intrigued about working in local government but hesitant to take the plunge? Real estate lawyer Matthew Dineen explains how he overcame his initial doubts and never looked back.

Home truths

What is it like to work as an in-house solicitor for a registered provider for social housing or housing association? Radian’s Scott Greenwood sets out the attraction and advantages, how the sector differs from private practice and how the transition can be made by those who may be considering a move.

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The Legal Department of the Future

Bridging the gap

The Legal Department of the Future survey reveals that local government legal teams are employing a range of strategies as they face up to a challenging combination of increased workloads and severe pressure on resources. Philip Hoult reports.

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.

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.

Lead or follow?

A short guide to shared legal services

Up for the challenge?

Improving internal efficiency

The way ahead

Manchester on Alcohol & Entertainment Law

Professor Roy Light reviews the 4th edition of Manchester on Alcohol and Entertainment Law. Woods Whur Publishing, Leeds. £115 soft cover.

Book Review: Button on Taxis

After an eight-year gap there is a new edition of Button on Taxis. Professor Roy Light reviews the publication and the changes made.

Book Review: Cornerstone on the Planning Court

The law moves on with increasing speed nowadays, one significant recent development being the creation of the Planning Court in April 2014. That is already two years ago now, so Cornerstone obviously felt the time was right to start putting together…

Book Review: Paterson’s Licensing Acts 2016

James Paterson, who introduced the work and authored the first ten editions, could never have foreseen that his book would be going strong 114 editions later; or that it would have an editor-in-chief, three general editors and a consulting editor;…

Book Review: Cornerstone on Councillors' Conduct

L.P. Hartley once told us that the ‘past is a foreign country; they do things differently there’. However, American astronomer and astrophysicist, Carl Sagan thought that to understand the present we need to know the past. And with the turbulent…

Nov 12, 2019

Public, administrative and children law specialists among 24 new Deputy High Court Judges

Specialists in public, administrative, planning, health and children law are among 24 Deputy High Court Judges appointed by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett of Maldon, for a single fixed four-year term.

Nov 06, 2019

Capsticks appoints Hamilton to further term as managing partner

Law firm Capsticks has reappointed Martin Hamilton as its managing partner for a further term through to April 2023.

Nov 05, 2019

Difficulties in recruiting to District Bench "to have adverse consequences" for civil, family jurisdictions: Lord Chief Justice

The Lord Chief Justice has warned of “a very worrying shortfall” in the recruitment of salaried members to the District Bench this year, saying that it will have adverse consequences for the family and civil jurisdictions.

Nov 05, 2019

Bevan Brittan makes new partner, four associates in mid-year promotions round

Law firm Bevan Brittan has appointed Colin McConaghy, a commercial projects specialist in its Bristol office, as a partner in its mid-year promotions round.

Oct 16, 2019

President of Lawyers in Local Government hits out at undermining of monitoring officers

The blurring of the lines between challenging a view that one disagrees with and simply attacking a person for their view is one that is becoming increasingly prevalent – and such attacks are undermining and diminishing the role of the monitoring…

Sep 24, 2019

Attorney General fires gun on selection for regional panels of junior counsel

The Attorney General’s Office is seeking to appoint junior counsel in the regions to undertake civil advocacy work outside London and the South East for all government departments.

A mentally healthy workplace

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Yasmin Allan considers the legal and practical issues linked to the employee wellbeing agenda.

Legal apprenticeships: getting started

One of the great privileges of working with local authorities to deliver apprenticeships is observing the different approaches legal departments take to deploying and developing apprentice staff, writes Noel Inge.

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.

Personal philosophies

Chris Guy, a former local authority head of legal, sets out how he tried to overcome his weaknesses.

Aiming for the top

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How should you go about securing the position of head of legal at a local authority? Chris Guy shares some thoughts.

Creative or secure?

Good relationships between lawyers and clients allow for more risk and more creativity which ultimately adds more value all round, writes Geoff Wild.

A Spring in your career step....

Lawyers in Local Government is looking for talented lawyers to get involved in its special activity areas. Nicholas Dobson explains how this can boost your career.

Out with the DIP, in with the IP

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The Communities Secretary has unveiled a new regime for the disciplining and dismissal of senior staff, to replace what he called the "unnecessary and costly bureaucratic process" that currently applies. Olwen Dutton analyses the key issues for councils.

Life as a trainee

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What is it like to start your career as a trainee solicitor in the public sector? Amy Mills explains.

Faith, hope and clarity

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Lawyers in Local Government (LLG) is fortunate to have talented and expert lawyers operating at all local government levels. And these make a visibly positive difference to their authorities and communities.

Taking care

Lee Parkhill, a barrister at leading set 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square, has previously worked for a regulator of social care providers, the largest local authority in the country and a major law firm. He tells Local Government Lawyer about moving to the Bar and why he practises health and social care law.

Charting a course

These are undeniably challenging times for the public sector but its lawyers should still be upbeat, Lawyers in Local Government President and Director of Essex Legal Services Philip Thomson tells Philip Hoult.

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