Published date: 21 November 2022

Awarded contract - This means that the contract has been awarded to a supplier.


Closing: 22 June 2022, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Legal services - 79100000

Location of contract

Any region

Value of contract

£400,000

Procurement reference

tender_295049/1148445

Published date

21 November 2022

Closing date

22 June 2022

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

12 October 2022

Contract end date

11 October 2024

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Call-off from a framework agreement

A mini-competition or direct purchase from a pre-established framework agreement.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

No

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

The Legal Aid Agency ("LAA") is seeking to appoint a legal services provider to provide on-going legal assistance to the LAA in relation to commercial legal matters.
The LAA is responsible for the provision of all publicly funded civil and criminal legal aid advice in England and Wales. The LAA is therefore required to procure the services of external legal aid providers and develop the service of legal advice that the providers undertake for clients as well as, arrange and operate a variety of commercial contracts to discharge the Lord Chancellor's duty to ensure access to justice.
Given the breadth of LAA contracts and the complex procurement processes used to award such contracts, a wide range of complex legal issues arise. The legal aid market is inherently litigious due to long-standing and well publicised funding challenges associated with the provision of legal aid and there are widespread sustainability issues. The LAA is also subject to increasing scrutiny from pressure groups and charities representing the rights of those reliant on legal aid services. In addition, the LAA is subject to political pressures as a result of government policy and Ministerial objectives that significantly impact the LAA's procurement strategies. The LAA's service deliverables also link with various MoJ and wider government areas such as; immigration, prisons and courts. The LAA therefore requires expert external legal support to assist the limited GLD commercial legal resource working with the LAA to advise on commercial law issues including procurement strategy and contracts in order to mitigate risk to the LAA and the risks of successful legal challenges.
Notably, the Lord Chancellor has a legal duty to ensure access to justice. Provision of sustainable, quality legal advice is therefore the LAA's utmost business priority and ensuring legally compliant processes and robust contracts by which to provide legal aid services is key to the LAA's objectives.

More information

Attachments

Award information

Awarded date

18 November 2022

Contract start date

12 October 2022

Contract end date

11 October 2024

Total value of contract

£400,000

This contract was awarded to 1 supplier.

Gowling WLG (UK) LLP

Address

4 More London Riverside, London, SE1 2AU

Reference

Companies House number: OC304378

Supplier is SME?

No

Supplier is VCSE?

No

About the buyer

Address

102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
England

Email

Mojprocurementprofessionalservices@justice.gov.uk