Governments around the world continue to face escalating scrutiny and demand for public services and infrastructure in an uncertain economic climate. We understand that complex government projects, privatisations and procurements require international experience across multiple jurisdictions, and the ability to quickly apply this experience in a local context.
We provide clear, concise and actionable advice to arm our public sector clients with the confidence to make defensible decisions that achieve their objectives while minimising legal, reputational and political risk.
Our nimble international team works with clients to achieve world-class outcomes that demonstrate real value. Together we navigate shifting government objectives and priorities, and combine this with corresponding private sector experience to give an unparalleled understanding of the public-private interface.
We help clients using our particular expertise in:
- delivery of complex public infrastructure projects and procurements
- major privatisations and government asset sales
- policy-driven restructuring and transformation programmes
- design of new public private partnership structures
- design and navigation of public procurement and sector regulatory regimes, and
- dispute resolution, advising on commercial and administrative proceedings including judicial review, governmental inquiries, disciplinary proceedings involving public bodies and statutory appeals
Learn more about how we help clients with administrative and public law
Experience
High Speed 2 Railway - the most significant railway project in the UK and Europe
Advising High Speed 2 Limited on the procurement of the infrastructure, rail systems and rolling stock for the new HS2 railway, with the project having an estimated value of £45 billion
Australian Naval Shipbuilding Reform
Advising the Australian Government on reform of the naval shipbuilding sector to support $90 billion of investment in new naval vessels and infrastructure planned for Australia over the next 30 years. This has included the creation of a dedicated shipyard infrastructure company, memoranda of understanding between Federal and State Governments, and the transfer of ASC Shipbuilding (formerly Government-owned) to BAE Systems. This transaction was awarded Property, Infrastructure and Projects Deal of the Year at the 2019 Australasian Law Awards.
Western High Speed Diameter PPP toll road in St Petersburg
Advising the Government of St Petersburg on the WHSD (Western high speed diameter) PPP project involving the construction of the WHSD toll road in St Petersburg
Defence of UK Government agency
Acting for the Horserace Betting Levy Board, a UK Government agency in various judicial reviews including the successful defence in the Court of Appeal concerning whether customers of betting exchanges can constitute "bookmakers"
New photovoltaic Spanish legislation arbitration
Advising The Kingdom of Spain on its defence against a claim of international arbitration of different investment funds based on the Energy Charter Treaty (regarding new photovoltaic Spanish legislation). In January 2016, the tribunal rejected the totality of the claimants' claims
Nigeria power privatisations
Advising The Bureau of Public Enterprises of Nigeria on the privatisation by share sale and concession of 15 successor companies to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, and subsequently on the sale of ten National Independent Power Plants (NIPP) to be privatised by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC)
