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Emergency services

Specialist legal advice for emergency services organisations within the private and public sectors.

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We understand the critical nature of your work – operating around the clock, responding to unforeseen major incidents and consistently delivering exceptional front-line services, while under year-on-year pressure to deliver efficiency savings.

Our specialist lawyers are particularly focused on ensuring that the operational requirements of emergency services are not restricted by contractual constraints. Our advice is bespoke, responsive and designed to meet the continuous and demanding pressures faced by emergency services.

We believe in a hands-on approach, providing first-class legal support that is both practical and innovative. Our team is committed to understanding the nuances of the emergency services’ landscape, offering solutions that are not only legally sound but also operationally viable.

Services

Administrative and public law

Offering strategic guidance on legal and policy matters to ensure compliance and effective governance.

Construction and facilities management

Advising on the legal aspects of building and maintaining infrastructure.

Employment and pensions

Navigating the complexities of public sector employment law and pension schemes.

Property investment and asset management

Managing public property portfolios.

Major projects and Alternative Delivery Models

Advising on public and private collaborations, outsourcings and in-house service delivery structures with innovative legal solutions.

Public procurement law and subsidy control

Ensuring compliant and efficient procurement processes, managing challenges and compliance with subsidy control law.

Policy development

Shaping public policy with legal expertise and industry insights.

Planning, IT/IP and international trade law

Covering a broad spectrum of legal disciplines to support operations.

Data protection and information law

Safeguarding information rights and compliance with data protection regulations.

Judicial reviews, inquiries and dispute resolution

Managing legal challenges, inquiries and disputes with a focus on public interest and governance.

Examples of our work

Avon and Somerset Police, Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane Borough Council

Advising on the South West One Project, a major outsourcing of back-office functions via a shared services partnering structure.

Avon and Somerset Police

Advising on the Gateway project, integrating police and council services under one roof, improving community accessibility and service efficiency.

Ministry of Defence/Transport

Managing the extensive £6 billion search and rescue helicopter PFI project, for the provision of helicopter search and rescue services across the UK and Falkland Islands.

Metropolitan Police

Advising on the re-negotiation of the extension of its ICT outsourcing arrangements with CapGemini (estimated value over £1 billion).

London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority

Advising on the highly sensitive and time critical termination of a PFI contract and implementing an interim outsourcing solution ahead of its planned re-procurement of the service.

Radsafe

Restructuring the nuclear sector’s response network, reinforcing nationwide safety and emergency preparedness for critical incidents. 

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Our team

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What others say

“The firm are willing to tackle the difficult issues on projects. All lawyers at the firm are confident, knowledgeable and willing to help. Burges Salmon are good at resourcing within the firm to manage large and complex projects with the work completed to a high standard.”

Chambers UK 2024

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Insights

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