--- title: "Barristers Framework Agreement for West Midlands Local Authorities (WMLA)" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-052257" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-052257" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-052257.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-052257.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "WOLVERHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL" published: "2026-01-09" --- # Barristers Framework Agreement for West Midlands Local Authorities (WMLA) Buyer: WOLVERHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-052257 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-052257) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-052257.json) ## Summary Wolverhampton City Council, in collaboration with Kennedy Cater Ltd, has initiated an open tender process for establishing the Barristers Framework Agreement for the West Midlands Local Authorities (WMLA). This procurement, tagged under the industry category of legal advisory and representation services, aims to assemble a panel of specialist legal advisers delivering services primarily in the United Kingdom's West Midlands region. The tender, identified by CWC24161, is currently in the tender stage with documentation published on 9th January 2026, and submission deadlines set for 9th February 2026 at noon. The framework agreement seeks to enhance service delivery efficiency and value over an initial three-year period, with an option to extend for an additional twelve months. This tender presents a lucrative opportunity for businesses specialising in legal services, particularly for SMEs geared towards collaboration with public bodies. Companies in legal consultancy and barrister services across various specialisations, such as children's services, governance, education, criminal litigation, and more, are ideally positioned to benefit from this framework. With an overall value of up to £72 million and scope extending across several local authorities in the West Midlands region, this contract not only promises substantial work volumes but also the potential for long-term engagement through renewals and extensions. The procurement's open procedure ensures accessibility for qualified firms prepared to meet high-quality benchmarks and competitive pricing structures. ## Notice The WMLA (West Midlands Local Authorities) is seeking to appoint a panel of specialist legal advisers to a Barristers Framework, with the object of achieving better value, enhanced service delivery and more efficient management of matters outsourced to external barristers. This is a new procurement, as the WMLA does not currently have a Barristers Framework in place. The term of the Framework will be for an initial period of three (3) years with the option to extend for a further period of up to twelve (12) months ### Lot Information Adult Social Services * Mental Health * Displacement of nearest relatives (under Mental Health) in County Court; * Community care, including procurement issues relating to providers * Mental capacity and deprivation of liberty, including 'Re X Procedure' * Court of protection * Functions of the local authority under the Care Act 2014 and relevant legislation relating to children (for example at transition, young carers, etc.) * Forced marriages, regardless of the age of the parties concerned (including children) * Inquests * Judicial Review; * Public Interest Immunity; * Inherent Jurisdiction; * Leaving Care; * NRPF single adults; * Continuing Health Funding including disputes and advice re Health Bodies; * Ordinary Residence * Human Rights Claims * FGM * SENDIST matters, including EHC Plan and Transport issues Renewal: Each Framework Agreement will be let for a term of three (3) years, with the estimated commencement date of 1st July 2026, with the option to extend for a further period/s of up to twelve (12) months. Children's Services * Care proceedings * The Children Act 1989 * The Child Abduction & Custody Act * Adoption proceedings, Special Guardianship and Placement Orders * Public Interest Immunity * Judicial Review * Functions of the local authority under the Care Act 2014 and relevant legislation relating to children (for example at transition, young carers, potential Court of Protection transfer etc.) * Forced marriage * Advice on international placements and the placement of children in other jurisdictions, including international law and the Hague Convention * Injunctions, particularly in the context of social media campaigns involving cases, and generally media advice in children related matters (including social media) * Human Rights Claims * FGM * Inherent Jurisdiction & Wardship * Deprivation of Liberty (under inherent jurisdiction) * Age assessments, including unaccompanied asylum seekers * Private Family Cases with LA involvement e.g. s7 and s37 Children Act 1989 cases * Immigration, including status and leave to remain Renewal: Each Framework Agreement will be let for a term of three (3) years, with the estimated commencement date of 1st July 2026, with the option to extend for a further period/s of up to twelve (12) months. Governance & Public Law, including Education Governance & Public Law * Public and Administrative Law * Governance, Constitutional & Policies * Regulatory issues * Charities * Commercial & Contractual disputes, and procurement issues, including Subsidy Control * Waste matters * Information Law including Data Protection and Freedom of Information, Environmental Information Regulations 2004 * Local Government Finance * Employment matters, especially complex issues or relating to senior staff * Education, especially complex issues or issues relating to policy * Judicial reviews on any subject matter * Any other high profile, high risk matter, that is likely to have an impact on the authority as a whole * Company Law, including Local Authority Companies and restructuring and insolvency of companies * Establishment of Corporate Structures and Trading Vehicles, including Charities, LLPs, ABSs, CBSs and JVs * Elections Education (including but not limited to): * SENDIST * Admissions * Attendance issues * Exclusion cases * Disability discrimination claims in the SENDIST Tribunal * Equalities and Human Rights, including advice and advocacy, including Transgender issues * PRU - Pupil Referral Units * School organisation, including opening and closing schools * Governance issues * Academy conversions * Complaints and disputes at school, including parental complaints * Judicial Review, including JR challenges regarding school transport * Specialist employment advice * School finance issues * Intervention powers * General Education Advice * Investigations into conduct * Banning orders * Safeguarding * Data Protection Renewal: Each Framework Agreement will be let for a term of three (3) years, with the estimated commencement date of 1st July 2026, with the option to extend for a further period/s of up to twelve (12) months. Criminal Litigation & Prosecutions * Trading Standards & Health & Safety, including food hygiene * Fraud in relation to all areas of local authority activities, including Blue Badge, social care, tenancy fraud and corporate fraud * Full range of prosecution / enforcement work undertaken by local authorities including planning, licensing (including HMO, Landlord, private rented sector and Housing health and safety rating schemes licensing matters) and education and environmental crime (including fly tipping, noise prosecutions, nuisance, ASB, policing and Care Act) * Applications for range of Enforcement Powers and ancillary proceedings, relating to shop premises, including; Closure orders; Conspiracy; Complicity; Tobacco offences; Trademark offences; Money Laundering. * POCA * Housing Act 2004 enforcements * Appeals in Magistrates Court regarding notices under Highways Act * Appeals against noise abatement * Community protection notices * Penalty notices under Housing Act 2004 * Traveller Injunctions * General Regulatory Law Renewal: Each Framework Agreement will be let for a term of three (3) years, with the estimated commencement date of 1st July 2026, with the option to extend for a further period/s of up to twelve (12) months. Housing & Civil Litigation Housing: * Full range of local authority landlord & tenant matters, including advice and representation * Homelessness (including s 204's) * Allocations * s.80 EPA * Anti-social behaviour proceedings * Injunctions and Committals * Disrepair claims * Repossession and evictions * Gas servicing access claims * Service charge disputes and Leasehold Valuation Tribunals * Advice on internal Housing Management Policies and Procedures * Public Law Defences * Mortgage repossessions * Trespasser Claims * Judicial review * Leasehold disputes * Public Law / Equality Act claims in relation to Housing * Houses in Multiple Occupation * Right to Buy * Housing Act 2004 disputes in the First Tier Tribunal * Renters Rights Act Civil Litigation: * Full range of claims brought against local authorities, including personal injury claims * Claims against the police * Coroners work * Debt recovery * General civil litigation, including traffic matters * Commercial litigation * Social media, reputation issues generally, and issues arising from the Defamation Act * Construction litigation * Judicial Reviews * Injunctions, including s222 matters * Council tax and national non-domestic rate (business rates) matters; * Insolvency * Litigation arising out of the Electronic Communications Code and attendant legislation (including the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022) * Public Realm litigation, including Challenges in relation to Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, Traffic Management Orders, Parking, Bus Lane Enforcement and Markets * Data Protection Breach Claims * Human Right issues * Equality Act matters Renewal: Each Framework Agreement will be let for a term of three (3) years, with the estimated commencement date of 1st July 2026, with the option to extend for a further period/s of up to twelve (12) months. Planning * Planning Appeals * Enforcement Notices including injunctions * Highways (and Public Rights of Way) * Housing / Retail * S106 Agreements * Local Development Frameworks / Schemes * TPOs * CIL * Town & Village Greens * Mixed Use Developments * CPOs * Judicial Review * Injunctions * Appropriation * Regeneration * Procurement * Other general planning advice * Permitted Development, Use Classes Order * Lawful Development Certificates * Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas * Development Consent Order (DCO)/National Infrastructure/ Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects * Planning Committees and Governance * Green Belt * Nutrient and Neutrality Provisions Renewal: Each Framework Agreement will be let for a term of three (3) years, with the estimated commencement date of 1st July 2026, with the option to extend for a further period/s of up to twelve (12) months. Property * Commercial & residential matters * Lease renewals & forfeitures * Code leases * Smallholdings * Mediation & arbitration of commercial LL&T Disputes * Rights of Way (private & public) * Restrictive covenants & easements * Mortgages and Property Estoppels * Possession actions * Dilapidations * Mixed Use Developments * CPOs * Judicial Review * Injunctions * Appropriation * Regeneration * Procurement * Lease extensions and voluntary lease extensions, under commercial & residential matters * Utilities, including wayleaves and deeds of easement * Telecommunications leases * Agricultural land * Deferred payments re Care Act * Trusts * Charity land * Education sites * Right to Buy * Community Asset Transfers * Assets of Community Value * Property Litigation, including: * Contested lease renewals * Judicial Review * Injunctions * Mediation & arbitration of commercial LL&T Disputes * Possession actions Renewal: Each Framework Agreement will be let for a term of three (3) years, with the estimated commencement date of 1st July 2026, with the option to extend for a further period/s of up to twelve (12) months. Employment * Unfair and constructive dismissal * Discrimination * Redundancy * TUPE * Pensions * Employment contract issues * Employee status * Trade union rights and industrial action * Unlawful deduction of wages * Disciplinary and Grievance matters * Recruitment and retention * Bullying, harassment and victimisation * Whistleblowing * Employee and industrial relations * Collective agreements * Agency workers * Employment & HR policies and procedures * Parental leave * Hybrid working * Confidentiality and settlement agreements * Employment Tribunal Claims * Employment Appeals Tribunal Claims * Employment Claims in the County Court and High Court * Judicial Mediation * Equal Pay * Right to Work and Immigration Issues Renewal: Each Framework Agreement will be let for a term of three (3) years, with the estimated commencement date of 1st July 2026, with the option to extend for a further period/s of up to twelve (12) months. Licensing * Licensing Act 2003 matters, including but not limited to alcohol licensing, club licenses, stadium licenses, venue licenses, event and temporary event licenses and personal licenses * Gambling Act 2005 matters, including but not limited to betting shops, casinos and bingo halls * Street trading (under Local Authorities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 and authorities own street trading provisions); * Pavement licensing, including Highways licensing * Animal welfare licensing, including but not limited to licensing breeders, day care and boarding establishments and breaches of animal welfare requirements * Special Treatment licensing, including but not limited to tattooing and massage * Street collections licensing * Sex establishment licensing * Taxi licensing * Judicial Reviews * Attendance at committees, including representation for responsible authorities and acting as legal advisor to committee * Appeals against Committee decisions, including Licensing Committees and Gambling Committees * General licensing advice, including policy advice Renewal: Each Framework Agreement will be let for a term of three (3) years, with the estimated commencement date of 1st July 2026, with the option to extend for a further period/s of up to twelve (12) months. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001979-2026 | | Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Framework | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning, Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 9 Jan 2026 | | Submission deadline | 9 Feb 2026 | | Future notice date | 1 Jul 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 30 Jun 2026 - 30 Jun 2029 | | Recurrence | 2029-07-01 | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £60,000,000 | | Lots value | £60,000,000 | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Active | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | WOLVERHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL | | Additional buyers | KENNEDY CATER LTD | | Locality | WOLVERHAMPTON | | Post town | Wolverhampton | | Postcode | WV1 1SH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ4 Kent | | ITL 3 | TLJ46 West Kent | | Local authority | Sevenoaks | | Electoral ward | Sevenoaks Town and St John's | | Westminster constituency | Sevenoaks | | Delivery location | TLG West Midlands (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security ### Codes - 79110000 - Legal advisory and representation services ## Release History - 9 Jan 2026 at 15:28 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001979-2026 - 23 May 2025 at 11:53 - Planning - UK1 - Pipeline Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/026264-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001979-2026 9th January 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/026264-2025 23rd May 2025 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender - www.wolverhamptontenders.com ## Notice URLs - http://kennedycater.com - http://www.wolverhamptontenders.com - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-052257. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-052257.json.