EM Lawshare Framework Contract for Legal Services

E.M. LawShare is a consortium of public bodies (the Consortium).

As at 3 May 2017 it had 121 members made up of; • 8 County Councils; • 16 Unitary Councils; • 7 Metropolitan Councils; • 60 District Councils; • 6 Fire & Rescue Authorities; • 1 Police Authority; • 7 Town/Parish Councils; • 3 NHS Trusts; • 2 Arm's Length Housing Organisations (ALMO'S); • 3 specialist subsidiary companies; • 1 Coal Authority; • 1 National Park authority; • 1 Children's Trust; • 1 University; • 1 Drainage Authority; and • 1 wholly owned local authority law firm. A full list of current members is included at Appendix A to this document.

Other contracting authorities (as defined in the Public Contract Regulations 2015) in England & Wales will be free to join the Consortium either before or during the course of the new contract. When the first EM Lawshare framework contract was let in April 2006 the Consortium had 13 members & four partner firms were appointed.

By 2010, when the contract was let again, the membership had grown to forty five and five private law firms were appointed. In 2014, when there were sixty nine members, six private law firms were appointed.

This contract ends on 31 March 2018. The new contract will be a framework agreement for four years and run from 1 April 2018.

The aim is to appoint up to 8 private law firms to the new contract. The contract will not bind any of the Consortium Members to use the appointed firms nor will any guarantee be given as to the minimum levels of work which will be awarded under the contract. The ten areas of work covered by the contract are:- Administrative & Corporate Governance Adult Services Civil Litigation (including personal injury) Contract/Commercial/Procurement Conveyancing/Property Criminal Litigation Education Employment Housing Planning/Highways/Environmental