Provision of Legal Services

Description

Provision of legal services in connection with employment and pensions, property and estates and commercial matters. Lot 1: Provision of Legal Services — Employment and Pensions The successful firm will provide advice and recommendations to the University on a range of employment related matters including individual and/or collective employee and/or industrial relations issues with the intention, where possible, of helping the University achieve our objectives and of avoiding tribunal claims and awards. Employment advice will cover all key areas including, but not limited to: absence management, discipline, TUPE transfer, working time, discrimination, flexible working, restrictive covenants, contracts, dismissals, redundancies and re-structuring. The successful firm will also provide representation both at employment tribunal proceedings and in relation to dealing with legal representatives of our current staff and those who have left our employment. The successful firm will provide advice on more complex discrimination, equal pay or transfer of undertakings issues and also advice on pension laws and the regulations applying to the schemes operated by the University; the Local Government Pension Scheme and the Scottish Teachers Superannuation Scheme. The contract will not be exclusive and UWS reserves the right to instruct other firms in relation to specialist matters falling within the same area, if the need arises. Stated contract value is indicative spend and UWS does not guarantee that any volume or value of business shall be awarded during the initial contract period or any extensions. Lot 2: Provision of Legal Services — Property and Estates The successful firm will provide advice in relation to all property matters including acquisitions, disposals, evictions, leases, licences, title enquiries, servitudes, wayleaves, landlord and tenant and development projects. The contract will not be exclusive and UWS reserves the right to instruct other firms in relation to specialist matters falling within the same area, if the need arises. Stated contract value is indicative spend and UWS does not guarantee that any volume or value of business shall be awarded during the initial contract period or any extensions. Lot 3: Provision of Legal Services — Commercial The successful firm will provide advice and recommendations on a range of commercial matters. It is expected that this will primarily include contractual and intellectual property related matters but may also relate to data protection, freedom of information, procurement, health and safety, Home Office regulations and guidelines and charity law matters. It would be beneficial if the appointed firm could provide dispute resolution advice which will cover advice in relation to all possible and pending claims and actions against or by the University and resolution of disputes including claims, court actions arbitrations or adjudications and mediations and including the preparation of pleadings, collating documents and appearance work (although this type or work is routinely dealt with via our insurers so would likely be minimal). The contract will not be exclusive and UWS reserves the right to instruct other firms in relation to specialist matters falling within the same area, if the need arises. Stated contract value is indicative spend and UWS does not guarantee that any volume or value of business shall be awarded during the initial contract period or any extensions.