020 7405 4600

Accessibility Icon

Outsourcing and Shared Services

We advise on a wide range of public sector outsourcing arrangements, from commercial contract models through to public sector companies set up to provide shared services.

Our focus is on ensuring that our clients’ needs are met in a commercial and pragmatic way which fosters successful long-term relationships between parties. We are on the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) general legal advice panel, and regularly advise national and local public authorities on all aspects of public procurement, contract law, sale of goods and supply of services.

Our experienced solicitors advise on commercial strategies, negotiating positions, tactics and techniques. For in-house legal teams who are embarking on a major negotiated procurement we also provide training courses for their negotiating team. We pride ourselves on providing hands-on practical advice and assistance.

Ever mindful of the need to minimise financial risk and any detriment to services, Sharpe Pritchard’s London-based outsourcing and shared services solicitors have a reputation for finding innovative ways to package contracts, ensure quality control and leverage value for money over the long term.

We also regularly advise our clients on vires issues relating to outsourcing services for the first time and on the TUPE and pensions aspects of such arrangements.

Key Contacts

Work highlights

  • Advising a metropolitan borough council in relation to outsourcing it’s children services to a trust model and negotiating the necessary service contract.
  • Advising a large county council on the outsourcing of library services.
  • Advising a metropolitan authority on its first service outsourcing of facilities and maintenance services.
  • Advising a large county council and associated district councils on a significant shared service contract for transactional services.

Introduction On January 8, 2025, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) issued a ruling regarding a series of poster advertisements for Wahed Invest Ltd (Wahed), an online Islamic investment company (ASA Complaint Ref: G24-1262171). These ads were displayed in Transport for London (TfL) locations, including on TfL trains, London Underground platforms and TfL busses, and drew…

Read more

The UK Government has launched a long-awaited consultation on copyright law and artificial intelligence (AI), to address the complex issues surrounding AI model training. This consultation, which is open until 25 February 2025, offers an opportunity for stakeholders to weigh in on how UK copyright law should apply to AI. The aims of the consultation…

Read more

The National Audit Office released a report on 16 January on the challenges faced by Government when procuring technology suppliers. This is not just a challenge we see with Central Government, but is a challenge faced by authorities across the public sector who are seeking to implement real digital change. The procurement of technology and…

Read more

To find out how we can help you, please contact us today