Tim focuses on a client’s objectives and has the knowledge and experience of what is possible legally to put forward practical and innovative options. Tim is incredibly responsive and client focussed and is a pleasure to deal with.
Director of Economic Generation in a large unitary authority
Tim Farr and senior solicitor Catherine Newman are key names for outsourcing projects
Legal 500, 2016
The programme would not have worked as well or delivered results so quickly without your valuable contributions
Hertfordshire County Council
Practice areas:
Sector experience:
Tim specialises in procurement, commercial contracts and strategic public private partnerships. He is the head of services.
Tim’s clients include central government departments, local authorities, registered housing providers and voluntary bodies, private and corporate companies.
In addition to the wide variety of work he has undertaken at Sharpe Pritchard, Tim brings extensive experience with three county councils, including as Head of Legal Services and Solicitor to the Council. He ensures that the objectives of a project are placed at the heart of the transaction and the law is a tool for achieving them and not a hurdle.
Tim possesses excellent project management skills and is renowned for getting complex projects “over the line” in challenging timescales.
Tim frequently advises clients on a wide variety of projects, including property and facilities maintenance, adult and children’s social care services and education and training services.
Tim also provides advice on ICT outsourcing contracts. He appreciates the importance of ICT in relation to all types of service delivery and by putting ICT at the heart of the project solution, adopts innovative approaches to ensure that ever-advancing technologies can be introduced in long-term projects as they become available.
Tim is very experienced in providing advice for governance and approval processes within a democratic context, including for senior clients, elected members and ministers.
Tim also specialises in public sector vires, governance and collaborative business models.
Tim’s clients appreciate his ability to cut through difficult issues; always making sure that focus remains on key issues and objectives. He is known by clients for his approachability and being able to distil complex issues quickly. Tim has a collaborative approach but is well able to represent clients in challenging negotiations, ensuring the best possible outcome.
Case highlights
- Advising the DfE on the procurement of training services for early career teachers.
- Advising the Education and Skills Funding Agency on the procurement of over 700 training providers, to deliver apprenticeship training services.
- Advising a local authority on the delivery and structural options for insourcing property, facilities management and IT services.
- Assisting the Education and Skills Funding Agency to review and streamline multiple forms of contracts into a bespoke template suite.
- Advising a council on a variation to and the management of its facilities maintenance contract (having provided extensive advice on the original procurement).
- Advising a local authority on the procurement of extra care services for elderly and vulnerable adults.
