We’re dedicated to supporting public sector clients with a firm and up-to-the-minute understanding of their unique pressures, and of the ever-present need to maximise opportunities. 

Public authorities have to balance demand for vitally important public services with significant and sustained budgetary pressures. As they take on a greater role in creating and sustaining investment and growth in their areas, we work more closely with them to develop new ways to maintain services, by realising commercial opportunities and finding better ways of working.

Proven public-sector understanding and expertise

Our team includes specialist lawyers with strong track records in the public sector –many with experience in senior in-house roles in local government, secondments in the sector, or extensive experience with public sector clients.

This means we’re in tune with your core principles and values, and the complexities and restrictions inherent in a tight regulatory framework. It also means our advice is practical, commercially focused and tailored to meet your needs within tight budgets.

Legal and regulatory experience with wide-ranging projects and functions

We can provide in-depth and dependable support to public sector clients on a wide variety of projects and regulatory functions, including social care, education, regeneration housing, highways, infrastructure, devolution schemes and waste. As a result, we work increasingly with local authorities and their associated companies, covering specialist areas such as:

• commercial property matters including acquisitions, disposals and landlord and tenant matters
• property litigation and dispute resolution
• planning, including compulsory purchase matters
• governance and strategy
• judicial review projects
• commercial contracts, including outsourcing
• public procurement
• state aid
• service delivery models including innovative corporate structuring arrangements, joint ventures, partnerships and shared services arrangements
• commercial dispute resolution and debt recovery
• employment, TUPE and pensions
• town and village greens
• general highway matters
• energy

Employment Rights Act for Public Sector

The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces significant changes for employers. Our Public Sector sector guide highlights the key changes employers need to prepare for and the practical steps to take.

A multi-talented and multidisciplinary team

We advise unitary, county, town and parish councils, and a large innovative public sector-owned service delivery group.

Our experience includes:

• advising on numerous linked property transactions required to facilitate a consolidated site for an academy school
• advising on a significant transaction for a large local authority-owned group of companies on the sale of its innovative highways joint venture company
• governance and strategic procurement advice in connection with a number of high-value works, services and supply contracts
• advising on a local authority-owned group establishing service delivery and financing arrangements for a high-value outsourcing arrangement – involving a multi-million pound capital funding package for acquisition of a property portfolio for temporary accommodation for the homeless
• advising on a high-value sub-contract agreement in connection with the provision of public bus services
• drafting and negotiating a lease agreement for a construction project, including the provision of collateral warranties and financial security against non-performance
• obtaining an injunction for a private landowner against a property developer who had incorporated part of his land into a redevelopment scheme and tipped tons of waste material onto the land,  creating risk of landslip
• representing a town council in a public inquiry about a modification order to record a bridleway through one of its parks, and a diversion order
• advising acquiring authorities and claimants on the promotion and implementation of a major highways development consent order
• providing draft heads of terms for the lease of a playing field.

And here is what some of our clients say:

“Redruth Town Council has been working with the Property team at Stephens Scown for many years and more recently we have engaged with the Employment, Litigation and Data Protection teams for new areas of our work. We have found the attention to detail to be second to none and the customer service to be outstanding. With Stephens Scown, we feel we are in safe hands and that all the work undertaken will be done so to meticulously high standards. We would have no hesitation in recommending them.”

Redruth Town Council – 2025