Law firms appointed to £10m contract advising North East public bodies

Six law firms have been appointed to a contract potentially worth up to £10m over four years for providing legal advice to public bodies in the North East.

The regional procurement exercise was led by Newcastle City Council on behalf of the North East Procurement Organisation and other public bodies.

The contract started on 1 May this year, but the award notice was only published last weekend (10 October). 

The contract runs until 30 April 2018, but can be extended for a further year. It is estimated to be worth between £7m and £10m.

The original contract award notice on Contracts Finder stated that Bevan Brittan had been appointed as the only provider. However, five other law firms have been chosen.

The list of successful firms is as follows:

• Bevan Brittan;
• Bond Dickinson;
• DAC Beachcroft;
• DWF;
• Freeths;
• Ward Hadaway.

News of the contract award comes just weeks after Bevan Brittan opened a Leeds office.

The firm has made a number of partner hires from rivals, including Judith Barnes from DAC Beachcroft and Frances Woodhead from Eversheds, who headed up the local government practices at their respective former firms.

The participating organisations are:

• Arch The Northumberland Development Company;
• Byker Trust;
• Cleveland Fire Brigade;
• City of Sunderland Council;
• County Durham and Darlington, Fire and Rescue Authority;
• Darlington Borough Council;
• Durham County Council;
• Gateshead Borough Council;
• Gateshead Housing Company;
• Gateshead Trading Company;
• Hartlepool Borough Council;
• Leazes Homes;
• Middlesbrough Council;
• Newcastle City Council;
• Newcastle University;
• Northern Education Trust;
• North Tyneside Council;
• Northumberland County Council;
• Northumbria University;
• Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council;
• South Tyneside Borough Council;
• Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council;
• Your Homes Newcastle.