Jointly led by Ben Sheppard, recognised for his expertise in local authority waste and energy projects, and Chris Woodthorpe, a specialist in PPP, regeneration, and development transactions, Walker Morris LLP‘s Leeds-based team is instructed by a diverse client base including local authorities, central government departments and registered providers. The practice also benefits from the expertise of Sarah Ward, who frequently advises on state aid and subsidy control issues; Martin McKeague, a key contact for property disputes; and Carly Thorpe, who is well versed in contentious and transactional construction matters.
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Key clients
- London Borough of Tower Hamlets
- Department of Levelling Up Housing and Communities
- Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
- North Yorkshire Council
- Harrogate Borough Council
- Cumberland Council
- Bradford Metropolitan Council
- MVV Environment
- Associated Waste Management
- Eveleigh LINK Academy Trust
- Barnsley Premier Leisure
- Every Child Matters Academy Trust
- Homes England
- Kier Construction Limited
- Kier Property Developments Limited
Work highlights
- Acting for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in litigation under the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA 2022) on the first action of its kind by a local authority aimed at addressing fire safety defects following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
- Acting for Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council in connection with a project for the development of a town centre digital innovation campus built around two digital media centres.
- Acting for Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council on a project to be delivered in partnership with a community energy society, advising on governance and the contractual and funding strategy (involving community investment) for the installation, maintenance, and management of up to 1000 solar PV installations across the council's housing stock.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Ben Sheppard, Chris Woodthorpe