First for public law
ELS is a unique legal service that combines exceptional commercial experience with a mature understanding of the values and ethos of the public sector. Evolving from the in-house legal team of one of the UK’s largest local authorities, we're committed to protecting the public
Paul Turner
Director, Legal and Assurance
Paul has been Essex County Council’s Monitoring Officer or deputy since 2013. He has overall responsibility for the County Council’s constitution and its formal decision making processes as well as supporting Councillors across the political spectrum. Paul has 25 years’ legal experience across almost all areas of local authority law and prides himself on taking a risk aware approach, ensuring that the decisions taken by the County Council are as safe as possible. Paul deals with complex complaints and is adviser to the Essex Police and Crime Panel on complaints. He has particular experience as senior responsible officer for Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
Laura Edwards
Corporate and Commercial - Legal Services Manager
Laura specialises in all aspects of commercial law and specifically procurement law and regeneration projects, advising on complex high value projects including PFI, PPP and outsourcing. Laura’s particular expertise is dealing with major complex procurements including competitive dialogue across various sectors including education, highways, information technology, outsourcing and transformation. Laura has an in-depth practical experience in advising on cutting edge innovative commissioning solutions for the delivery of public services including social enterprises, social impact bonds, pooled funds, joint procurements projects and shared services. Laura also has considerable experience in advising public bodies on construction and regeneration matters as well as trading vehicles, joint ventures and mutuals.
Joanna Gent
Property - Legal Services Manager
Joanna joined ELS from private practice where she was the Head of the Property Department and a partner in a busy private practice. Joanna has over 12 years of experience in dealing with commercial property matters both in the public sector and private practice. Joanna specialises in all commercial property matters to include landlord & tenant, freehold and leasehold purchase and sales, easements, option and overage agreements. Joanna has a broad range of Commercial Real Estate experience, having acted for developers, landlords and providers of development finance. Joanna has a commercial and practical approach to problem solving and the knowledge and experience to rise to any challenges our clients face with their real estate and secure a successful outcome. Relevant experience: Development Disposals and Acquisitions Easements and Licences Option and Promotion Agreements Landlord and Tenant General Property Advice Commercial Agreements
Jacqueline Millward
Highways and Environment - Legal Services Manager
Jacqueline is our Highways and Environmental Legal Services Manager and provides advice and support to public bodies in all aspects of highways, rights of way, waste, planning, enforcement actions and prosecutions. She is Law Society accredited Local Government lawyer with almost 30 years of experience. Jacqueline deals with the Commons Registration Authority’s functions including searches, applications for registration and varying of rights. She provides training and advice to ECC’s Development and Regulation Committee on planning and village green matters Jacqueline also has extensive experience in advising public bodies in respect of judicial review of government policies and planning decisions, including the successful challenge to the Government’s White Paper proposals for Air Transport. She continues to provide advice of the airport expansion project at Stansted G1. Significant work includes: Road and rail infrastructure development. Jacqueline is currently working on the delivery of the proposed Beaulieu Park Train Station and its linkage to the existing main line network. Jacqueline is also advising on issues relating to delivery of the proposed improvements to the A12 and M11 in concert with government agencies, including on compulsory purchase and other land issues. Shell Haven/Thames Gateway. Jacqueline drafted the original obligations and supported representations to the inquiry on the scheme to deliver additional port capacity to the UK and is involved in the implementation of the planning agreements for the delivery of supporting road improvements for the local highway authorities. Jacqueline is working on a number of local highway authority schemes to deliver links for cyclists and pedestrians as part of the public health and sustainable transport agenda including the legal arrangements to achieve new routes and advice on procedure and consultation issues. Jacqueline is responsible for providing training and advice to Essex County Council’s Development and Regulation Committee on planning and village green matters including the induction of new members and interest issues. Lead Local Flood Authority. Jacqueline is working the Essex LLFA Board in delivery of flood prevention schemes using her expertise in planning matters to guide delivery. Crouch Harbour Authority. Jacqueline is appointed clerk to the statutory body Crouch Harbour Authority and advising the members and officers in all aspects of its powers in relation to the control and enhancement of the waterway and their land holding as well as overseeing prosecution actions.
Emma Thomas
Dispute Resolution and Employment - Legal Services Manager
Emma deals with both contentious and non-contentious employment law matters and provides practical advice on a wide range of issues including all aspects of discrimination law; bullying and harassment; redundancies and restructures; equal pay; part time workers; the performance management of employees; managing sickness absence; advising on contracts of employment and staff policies, resolving complex and sensitive employment disputes; settlements and negotiations; and general advisory work. Emma regularly advises public bodies’ senior officers on highly sensitive and complex employment law matters with governance implications. She has particular expertise in complex Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE) matters including the in-sourcing and outsourcing of contracts; whistleblowing; health and safety at work; grievance and disciplinary matters; and related investigations. Emma regularly presents seminars and training workshops on employment law updates nationally and internationally and can tailor a workshop to the client’s specific requirements. The Employment Team host regular training events and workshops as well as sessions dealing with key changes in legislation.
Jennifer Mellani
Health, Social Care and Deputyship - Legal Services Manager
Jennifer is a specialist Healthcare Lawyer who led on transactions stemming from some of the major reforms in the NHS including: the “Transforming Community Services Agenda”, Personalisation Agenda and Direct Payments, Health and Social Care Act reforms. She also acted in her past in-house role as an advocate for the “Freedom to Speak Up Review”. Jennifer is currently leading on major projects involving local government and healthcare including Better Care Fund Initiative, Health and Social Care Integration Programme, partnerships and joint ventures between local government and NHS organisations, integrated care delivery models and service disaggregation.
Dorothy Simon
Children and Education - Legal Services Manager
Dorothy joined Essex County Council in 1995 as a Principal Solicitor to bring the child care in the south east of the county back in-house. She then joined Southend Borough Council in 1998 to form the Social Care & Education Legal Team for the new unitary authority before returning to Essex County Council in 2000 to consolidate the now county wide Children Legal Team. Following this outstanding achievement, Dorothy moved to Hertfordshire County Council in 2004 to become the Assistant Chief Legal Officer and Deputy Monitoring Officer and then went on to join the London Borough of Haringey in 2009 to implement the learning from the Baby Peter Serious Case Reviews as the Assistant Head of Legal (Social Care). Dorothy is currently appointed to a joint post of Children and Education Legal Services Manager in ELS and Group Manager of the Social Care and Education Legal Team in Southend Borough Council. Dorothy has been a Social Care advocate and an Adoption Agency legal adviser from 1991. She is a legal adviser to the Local Safeguarding Children Board and to the People and Health Scrutiny Committee. Dorothy is currently the Chair of the Law Society’s Children Law Sub-Committee and sits on the NSPCC external expert advisory group on neglect. Dorothy was also the writer for the Independent Management Review in four Serious Case Reviews involving local authority legal services graded by Ofsted as two outstanding and two good. Dorothy’s depth and breadth of specialist knowledge and experience are real assets for our clients in both the health and social care sectors. Relevant experience : Health and Social Care. Judicial review. Coroners’ inquests relating to health and social care. Education law. Child protection and safeguarding. Regulatory and Advisory (all aspects of childcare, education and health). Information Governance (DPA, FOI and confidentiality matters). Corporate Governance. Local Government Ombudsman matters.Memberships of external advisory groups: Law Society’s Children Law Sub-Committee. Lawyers in Local Government Eastern Region Child Care Special Interest Area Group. Lawyers in Local Government Child Care Lawyers’ Group (national group). NSPCC’s neglect external advisory group. Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) neglect critical friends’ reference group. Department for Education expert panel on residential assessments study.
Michelle Campbell
Dispute Resolution and Employment - Supervising Associate
Michelle specialises in acting for local authorities in claims including claims of historic child sexual abuse, data breach, industrial disease/employers liability and highways claims. Michelle was the lead Solicitor in the case of Woodland which went to the Supreme Court and dealt with non delegable duties of schools to pupils. Michelle acts on a wide range of personal injury claims including fast track and multi track litigation in the High Court and County Court including undertaking advocacy. Michelle has experience in claims involving multi party litigation and case management and has experience advising and negotiating in respect of costs and attending and preparing for costs management conferences. Michelle supervises a team of lawyers/paralegals who case manage and handle a variety of small claims, fast and multi-track claims ranging from highways/employers liability claims to flooding and tree subsidence.
Tracy Davies
Personal Injury and Civil Litigation - Solicitor
Tracy specialises in personal injury litigation. Tracy has extensive experience in working for individual clients and on behalf of major household and motor insurers dealing with a wide range of issues, advising on the merits and value of a claim to conducting and completing Court proceedings. Tracy advises and acts on behalf of Essex County Council and other local authorities on a wide range of disputes. Tracy also acts on behalf of other local authorities dealing with a range of insurance litigation matters including defamation, noise induced hearing loss and subsidence.
Alex Elliott
Solicitor
Alex is a member of our Dispute Resolution and Employment team where he specialises in all aspects of employment law.
