Public sector

Blake Morgan LLP

Blake Morgan LLP is well-equipped to handle the full range of mandates across the education, health, and local government sectors. Leading the team, which is highlighted by clients for ‘unrivalled knowledge’ of public sector leisure procurement, Penny Rinta-Suksi advises leisure authorities and private sector contractors on all aspects of private partnering projects (PPP). Matthew Smith heads the education group, and specialises in dealing with employment matters, including industrial relations and strikes, and issues of equal pay. Procurement expert Bruce Potter leads on the healthcare side, and is particularly experienced in complex system management and major health organisational mergers. Vicky Schollar left the firm in January 2024.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘Unrivalled knowledge in public sector leisure procurement.’
‘Penny Rinta-Suksi is an absolute authority on local authority leisure management contracts.’
‘The team is experienced and understands the challenges facing local government. They provide consistently good advice but also take the time to buy into the project. They genuinely care about the end product for residents.’
‘I've particularly valued the expertise, how that has been applied to our circumstances. The team take the time to understand the full project and not just the small element they're involved in. Valuing our goal to deliver positive outcomes for the community is something Blake Morgan have demonstrated consistently.’
‘The team is responsive, efficient and knowledgeable. They are essentially an extension of our in-house team.’
‘Rajiv Joshi is astute, commercially savvy and very knowledgeable.’

Key clients

Thames Valley Police
Dover City Council
Reading Borough Council
Test Valley Borough Council
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Westminster City Council
Wiltshire County Council
Royal Borough of Kingston on Thames
West Berkshire District Council
Oxfordshire County Council
Ashfield District Council
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
New College, Oxford
NHS England
Portsmouth Diocesan Trust
St Dominic’s Sixth Form College
University of Chichester Multi-Academy Trust
The Gallery Trust
St Edmund’s School Trust Limited
Winchester Diocesan Board of Finance

Work highlights

Advised the University of Reading on procurement for Henley Business School which has involved drafting complex sub-contracts with party suppliers which need to flow down terms for the head contract UOR has been awarded.
Advising the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames on the re-procurement of their leisure services.
Represented NHS England in the defence of a challenge to the exercise of its commissioning functions in the High Court and then to the Court of Appeal; NHSE was successful at both stages. The judgments are reported at [2023] EWHC 43 (Admin) and [2023] EWCA Civ 902.