Social housing: local authorities and registered providers

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Sara Bailey
Hall of fameTrowers & Hamlins LLP
Sara is the Senior Partner of the firm specialising in real estate projects. She has over 20 years' experience in the real estate sector and has established herself as a trusted adviser to a range of private providers, local authorities and central government developers, advising them on complex public and private projects. Specialising in development, regeneration, PPP projects, partnerships and joint ventures, Sara, is often called upon for her expertise in providing innovative structuring advice – helping her clients to navigate and deliver complex, and often high profile, real estate projects and regeneration schemes.
Andy Barnard
Hall of fameTrowers & Hamlins LLP
Andy specialises in providing legal advice in relation to a wide variety of real estate projects. He works for a wide range of accommodation providers and investors including developers, central government organisations, Registered Providers, local authorities, contractors, joint ventures, banks and private equity houses. The accommodation projects in which Andy has been and is involved include build to rent, student housing, regeneration projects, affordable housing and key worker schemes. Andy is a regular speaker and commentator in relation to the build to rent sector at high profile industry conferences and events. His clients praise his straight forward approach and the confidence they have in him to deliver their projects on time.
Andrew Cowan
Hall of fameDevonshires Solicitors LLP
Andrew is a Partner and  a member of our banking and governance team. His team acts for over 200 social housing providers and local authorities in England, Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland and as panel solicitors for the Homes and Communities Agency including For Profit providers. Andrew and his the team act for funders and over 180 housing associations based over England, Wales and Scotland on their general fundraising and project specific finance (such as PFI and joint ventures). Andrew has a particular specialism in governance and regulation of for social housing, and M&A within the social housing sector and joint ventures. Andrew is a regular contributor in relation to policy issues affecting the social housing sector.  He is a regular speaker on housing finance, group structures and housing strategies. Andrew is a trustee of HACT, the Theatre Royal Stratford, Swan Mountain Trust and non-executive director of Seymour Street Homes, a subsidiary of British Land PLC and a member of the finance committee of the Theatre Royal Stratford.
Scott Dorling
Hall of fameTrowers & Hamlins LLP
Scott has over 30 years' experience advising on a range of local government and wider public sector matters. Scott is recognised as a leading lawyer in the Social Housing world having advised on a range of highly significant projects, first as an in-house local authority lawyer and during his time at the firm on large scale voluntary transfers, PFI contracts, creation of TMOs, ALMO and other community led organisations during his time with the firm. Scott advises at the cutting edge of housing policy which in recent years has included advice to local housing authorities on the impact of HRA reform, the use of RTB receipts and on the establishment in significant numbers of local housing companies, including the first privately funded wholly affordable new build scheme for a local housing company. Scott's housing related activities include large regeneration schemes and Scott is often called upon because of his expertise in navigating the myriad complexities associated with mixed tenure regeneration including leaseholder issues, decant and demolition, procurement obstacles, tenant engagement and joint venturing.
Tonia Secker
Hall of fameTrowers & Hamlins LLP
Tonia's sector of expertise lies in social and affordable housing and she advises across the sector. She has over 20 years' experience advising both the public and private sectors on joint ventures, outsourcings and regeneration schemes and has particular experience of advising government agencies on funding arrangements for the delivery of affordable housing. Tonia advises housing associations and local authorities on major projects, regulatory and commercial matters and on their powers and functions. Tonia's work in the sector, particularly for Homes England, the Greater London Authority and local and combined authorities is extremely complex in nature. The work which Tonia undertakes for those bodies involves the creation of funding arrangements which underpin the delivery of thousands of new affordable homes across the country. The scale of public expenditure and investment supported by her work runs into many billions of pounds.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Donna McCarthy
Devonshires Solicitors LLP
Donna is the Head of Devonshires’ Housing Management and Property Litigation department. She heads up a team advising on all aspects of housing management law and practice, acting for Local Authorities, Registered Providers and private landlords in complex litigation, including possession proceedings; actions to restrain Anti-Social Behaviour; injunctions and disrepair actions. She also advises social landlords on matters of housing policy and procedure. She has particular specialism in matters relating to mental health, capacity and safeguarding and is part of the Devonshires Care Group. Donna heads up LandlordPLUS, a service dedicated to social and private landlords offering properties for market rent. Donna is Devonshires Solicitors most prolific trainer, regularly presenting seminars to clients and is responsible for co-ordinating the Housing Management training programme. She is a regular speaker at internal and external events and has spoken at conferences held by the NHF, Capita, Resolve ASB and the Law Society. She also speaks in schools as part of the Inspiring the Future programme. Donna is actively involved in Devonshires Corporate Social Responsibility Programme and is a trustee of the Devonshires Charitable Foundation.
Susie Rogers
Capsticks LLP
ExperienceSusie is a Partner in the Housing team at Capsticks, specialising in security charging, stock rationalisation, void disposal programmes and governance within the housing sector. Susie is an expert in commercial property arrangements and in public sector funding and powers, including revenue and capital grants.ExpertiseSusie leads on Capsticks’ security charging, stock rationalisation and void disposal projects. Her practical approach, contacts and understanding of what is “market norm” mean Susie and her team are able to deal with large projects with minimal fuss – hitting deadlines and ensuring capital receipts are received on time to support your business case objectives.Susie also deals with all aspects of commercial property, from dealing with new headquarter/anchor leases to the disposal of garage portfolios, and everything in between. Susie regularly advises housing sector clients on governance, grant funding and regulatory issues. Notable projects• Dealing with the security charging to support a £150m private placement from a US investor• Charging 725 units (including commercial units) to secure a £50m facility from an oversees investor, new to the UK housing market• Advising on an innvoative co-housing scheme for the over 50s in London, involving two registered housing providers and a co-operative• Ongoing project for the acquisition of circa 70 street properties per annum for affordable rent/shared ownership use• Numerous capital grant funding projects for supported living schemes• Managing a review of 175 leases to establish responsibility for health and safety matters• £220m Nottingham Treatment Centre• £65m Brent Emergency Care and Diagnostic Centre (“BECaD”)• Various LIFT projects
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Leading associates
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.

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