Elizabeth Gibson

Partner
T: +44 (0)1392 333802
F: +44 (0)1392 336802
e.gibson@ashfords.co.uk

Elizabeth is a Partner in the Projects / PFI Team.  She joined the firm in 2001 as an employed barrister after working for the Environment Agency. She has since qualified as a Solicitor and was made Partner in May 2006. At the Bar she developed her experience in public law and administration and at Ashfords her expertise is nationally recognised in the fields of procurement law State Aid and projects/ PFI. She is considered a leading player in the procurement and vires fields, having gained extensive experience in the public sector. Elizabeth is always the first port of call for local authorities in particular with complex procurement or vires issues.

Elizabeth’s experience encompasses all areas of public procurement from drafting OJEU notices to the legal issues relating to evaluation. She has acted for a number of local authorities and other public bodies in this respect. She has acted extensively for other public sector bodies including the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and local authorities in connection with strategic procurement advice and the procurement of works, services, supplies and concession contracts.

In addition, Elizabeth regularly acts for SWRDA on major projects, including PPPs involving complex funding structures. Her recent work has primarily involved working with in-house public sector legal teams.

Recent experience includes:

• advising Torbay Council on its JVC project for the procurement of a joint venture partner to carry out the authority’s direct services and waste functions;
• advising Taunton Deane Borough Council in respect of its major town centre redevelopment scheme which has included particular emphasis on achieving exemplar sustainability targets;
• advising a further education college in respect of the procurement of planned maintenance contracts;
• provision of advice to a local authority on the outsourcing of its entire leisure services to a private sector contractor;
• advising a local authority on the outsourcing to it payroll services;
• advising a sponsor on its tender in respect of a new police station for which it was been selected as preferred bidder;
• procurement of an operator for a proposed Microsystems Manufacturing Facility;
• procuring a developer for a “build, design and operate” contract for an hotel school and providing continuing advice and assistance throughout the process for a regeneration agency;
• acting for the SWRDA in respect of five innovation centres;
•  procurement of multiple contractors for £12 million worth of refurbishment work for a local authority as part of its work towards achieving the Decent Homes Standard; and
• procurement and State aid advice for the New Technologies Demonstrator Programme, which is a key part of Defra's Waste Implementation Project including drafting all necessary documentation.

 

Ranked as a leader in the field by Chambers 2010