Wilkin Chapman bolsters local government team, eyes wider presence with hire of ex-head of legal as partner

Law firm Wilkin Chapman has hired local government specialist Estelle Culligan as a partner in its regulatory and public sector department.

Culligan will be involved in local, regional, and national work for the department, which is led by partner Jonathan Goolden, but also building a presence for the firm in the South East, where she is based.

Wilkin Chapman said that with more than 18 years’ experience working in-house for local authorities, guiding councils on various legislative and governance issues, Culligan “brings a wealth of valuable in-depth knowledge and a great understanding of the concerns and challenges faced by councils”.

Culligan said: “I’m looking forward to working with the department which already offers a fantastic array of services in the local government sector.

“My many years’ experience as a monitoring officer and head of legal, means that I understand and have first-hand experience of the unique challenges faced by councillors and officers. This will allow me to advise on the full range of local government issues, including constitutional and governance matters, code of conduct investigations, employment, planning and housing.”

Goolden said: “I have known of Estelle for a while - she’s highly respected in the industry, so we’re really excited to welcome her to the team. She’s going to be a great asset to our department, not only increasing the skill of the team, but the capacity and reach of what we already do.

“Local government is an intensely regulated sector where imaginative and politically aware solutions which have regard to the public interest are often required. Estelle is able to think flexibly and propose pragmatic outcomes to her clients.”

Paul Bowden, partner and head of the creditor services team at Wilkin Chapman, said: “This is a really exciting appointment for our business. The local government sector is a really important work area for the firm and we are currently engaged with over 100 local authorities throughout England and Wales offering solutions for all council-related issues, and with Estelle’s support, we’re looking forward to providing an even stronger service that will support our clients even further.”