National law firm Bevan Brittan, which has an office in Bristol, has been reappointed to a legal framework used by more than 220 public bodies ranging from local authorities and NHS trusts to police authorities and national parks.
Bevan Brittan is one of just 10 law firms appointed to the fourth EM Lawshare Framework agreement, which will run for four years from April. 
The EM Lawshare Framework is used by members of the consortium to procure legal services worth around £70m from specialist firms at discounted rates.
These span civil litigation, procurement, contract and commercial law in areas such as property, education, employment, housing, planning and adult services.
It launched in the East Midlands in 2006 with 13 members, EM Lawshare has grown to become the largest consortium of its kind in the country.
Its members are now spread across England and include some of the largest local authorities in the country, including Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham and Sheffield, as well as county councils such as Cornwall, Kent and Oxfordshire and smaller unitary authorities including Bath & North East Somerset.
It is the second major appointment for Bevan Brittan in as many months, coming hot on the heels of it securing a place on the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Central Government Legal Services Panel.
Bevan Brittan partner and head of central and local government, David Hutton, said: “Public bodies are under unprecedented pressure.
“That is where our experience of working in partnership with public sector organisations to provide legal advice that helps them navigate the challenges they face can really add value particularly the increase in scrutiny of decisions; demands being placed on many services; the opportunity to redefine place and community whether through levelling up or delivering capital programmes; or just surviving with day to day legal work.”
Bevan Brittan, which employs nearly 300 people in Bristol, also has offices in London, Leeds and Birmingham.
