Law firms have begun the scramble to win contracts from the London Boroughs Legal Alliance (LBLA), a scheme that could eventually see all London councils served by a single panel.
Law firms have begun the scramble to win contracts from the London Boroughs Legal Alliance (LBLA), a scheme that could eventually see all London councils served by a single panel.
The LBLA currently has six members, which will share in-house expertise and use a shared panel.
The London boroughs of Camden, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow have signed up, along with the West London Waste Authority.
The Lawyer understands that other councils, including Hackney, have also expressed an interest.
Harrow head of legal Hugh Peart said he hoped all 33 boroughs would ultimately join the LBLA, adding: “We want to develop this as a network for the whole of London. Why wouldn’t you want to do this?”
The alliance has been inundated with applications for places on the three sub-panels, each consisting of four firms and covering major projects and litigation, high-volume and general overflow work.
It is expected that members will drop existing panels to benefit from more competitive rates, although this has not yet been decided.
