Law firm Womble Bond Dickinson has strengthened its public sector and local government practice with a number of senior hires across the UK, including managing associate Helen Robinson, who joins in Leeds.
Robinson (pictured) has more than 12 years of experience working in and advising local authorities.
She was a senior planning and highways lawyer at North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC), a role that saw her advise the council on all aspects of planning, highways, public rights of way and major infrastructure projects. She was also lead information governance lawyer.
Also joining the firm’s projects and procurement and planning teams are legal directors Sian Ballingall and Sarah White, based in Southampton and London, respectively, and Newcastle-based associate Umi Filby.
Iain Greenshields, head of public sector at Womble Bond Dickinson, commented: “[The firm] has taken a very conscious decision to focus more on public sector work in the last eighteen months, and the recruitment of Helen, Sian, Sarah, and Umi shows the scale of our commitment in this area.”
“Our local government practice in particular has more than doubled in the last four years, and we feel the time is right to invest in that sector now, to offer an enhanced service and team to our local authority clients.”
The new hires follow the appointment last year of partner Deborah Ramshaw, who advises central and local government departments and agencies, NHS bodies, utilities in the postal, energy and transport sectors, education clients, and registered housing providers on a range of procurement matters and legislation.
Womble Bond Dickinson works closely with UK local and central government authorities, as well as other organisations, in the wider public and third sector.
The firm advises the UK Government Legal Department, providing a full-service of legal expertise across a range of disciplines, including general commercial, litigation and employment advice.
Womble Bond Dickinson was also appointed in 2017 as a Tier 1 firm on the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Framework for Central Government Departments, Agencies and Arms’ Length Bodies.
The firm was appointed to the CCS framework for the wider public sector in 2018.
