Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire launch LGSS Law alternative business structure

Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire County Councils have launched LGSS Law Ltd after securing an alternative business structure (ABS) licence from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

LGSS Law will integrate the authorities’ existing shared in-house legal teams and have 85 lawyers and support staff.

The business will provide legal services to the public and not-for-profit sectors. It already delivers services to approximately 75 organisations.

“The underlying driver is to enable the provision of highly cost effective and resilient legal services benefitting from economies of scale,” the councils said.

Quentin Baker, director of LGSS Law Ltd said “This is an exciting venture for our team and brings us to the forefront of developments in the provision of legal services in these sectors.

“Our sole focus is on the public and not-for-profit sectors including charities, health and social landlords and we are responding to a pressing demand for legal services by lawyers who share the ethos of these clients and understand the context in which they operate.”

The register of licensed bodies (ABS) held by the SRA says that Virginia Moggridge will take the role of Head of Legal Practice and Keith Rudwick will be Head of Finance and Administration.

The new business is the third ABS to have been established, following the launch last year of Buckinghamshire Law Plus (set up by Buckinghamshire County Council and the Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority) and an ABS run by HB Public Law (the shared legal service between Harrow and Barnet councils).