The London Boroughs’ Legal Alliance has appointed 24 sets of chambers to their long-established Barristers Legal Services Framework, worth an estimated £60m.
The London Borough of Ealing acted as contracting authority on behalf of the other 27 LBLA members, working alongside specialist legal consultancy Kennedy Cater who helped establish the original framework in 2012. The LBLA has continued to grow and now comprises: the London Boroughs of Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Hackney, Hammersmith & Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Lambeth, Newham, Redbridge, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, the City of London Corporation, Westminster City Council, and the London Fire Commissioner and Slough Borough Council.
The framework will also be available to other local authorities within Greater London and South-East England (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey, and West Sussex)
The existing Barristers Framework expires on 31 December 2023, after which the new framework will run for three years to 31 December 2026 with an option to extend for a further 12 months to 31 December 2027. In addition to securing highly competitive pricing, the framework will also give the LBLA members access to an extensive range of social value benefits in support of their resident and community initiatives.
Helen Harris, Director of Legal and Democratic Services at Ealing Council said: “We were determined that this framework should cover the full range of our members’ legal needs and we are delighted with the quality of the panel, the rates secured across all 11 Lots and the social value benefits available to our residents. In the 13 years that the LBLA has been in operation we are very proud of the savings and benefits that we have achieved and to do so whilst accessing such high quality legal advice.”
Tim Morel of Consultancy Kennedy Cater who helped manage the tender process notes, “This is a hugely positive outcome for the increasing number of London local authorities who are now members of the LBLA. It is gratifying that this framework will ensure that their often complex, legal needs will continue to be supported by some of the country’s best legal minds at such competitive prices.”
Simon Sinnatt, Head of 1COR Brighton said “I am delighted that the services of the excellent barristers at 1 Crown Office Row in Brighton will be able to provide legal support to so many worthy needs”.
