Gowling WLG

Energy; Public Sector; Public Law & Regulation

Partner

Kieran knows the importance of understanding his clients' business and its aims and strives to work as an extension to their in-house teams.

Kieran Laird specialises in assisting clients interpret and apply public law concepts and complex regulatory frameworks. In doing so he helps clients to identify and manage their public law and regulatory issues quickly and commercially.

Kieran works for a wide range of public bodies and the private companies who deal with them. His practice includes both contentious and non-contentious work and encompasses domestic and EU law across a range of sectors including energy, health, qualifications, transport and elections and referendums. He has also assisted with the development of regulatory regimes in Africa and the Middle East.

Kieran assists public bodies, including regulators, in understanding and using their statutory powers, taking enforcement action and in defending decisions when challenged. He has also assisted with the development of regulatory frameworks and enjoys working closely with in-house advisers and policy teams to ensure that the development of strategy and policy progresses with the benefit of high quality practical legal advice.

He also provides private companies with commercially focused advice in relation to dealings with public bodies and understanding and complying with regulatory obligations, including mounting challenges where necessary.

Kieran understands that litigation can be a potentially stressful experience for a client. Whether he's is advising a claimant or defendant in litigation he makes sure that the client is fully involved as the case progresses. He ensures that all of the relevant points are identified and dealt with as compellingly as possible and that the costs of litigation are managed efficiently.

Experience

Assisting the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation in relation to the reference of a price control to the Competition Commission.

Assisting a Clinical Commissioning Group in relation to its public engagement duties during a large- scale procurement of health services.

Assisting a unitary authority in regard to a challenge by an international environmental group to the development of a mass burn incinerator. The development of the incinerator formed an integral part of a contract which the authority had signed with a third party and which has been granted substantial PFI funding from central government.

English