Browne Jacobson re-appointed to Platform Housing Group’s four year legal framework

National law firm Browne Jacobson has been re-appointed onto Platform Housing Group’s (PHG) legal services framework for property and employment work.

The new four year agreement officially started on 17 January this year and replaces the current panel arrangement. The firm have worked with Platform Housing Group (which was originally a merger between Waterloo Housing Group and Fortis Living) since 2007 and the appointment will see them continue to advise on a broad range of practice areas including construction, development, planning, property and sales. They will also support the group from an employment law perspective for the first time.

Nathan Barson, Procurement Director at Platform Housing Group said: “It is great to see our new Category Management function using the tools and techniques to deliver such high quality work; not only have we successfully mapped our complex requirements but we have managed to secure commercially robust agreements with some of the country's leading law firms. We have added value, successfully matched our ambitions to the leading players in the market and ensured we have the partnerships in place for a truly modern housing association.”

Gabor Taller, relationship partner for PHG at Browne Jacobson, added: “This re-appointment is a fantastic result for us. We are proud to have supported Platform’s growth and ambitious development plans for the last 15 years and I am delighted that our journey together will continue for another four years. Browne Jacobson is committed to being at the heart of addressing society’s biggest challenges and Platform’s values and purpose align perfectly with this.”

James Tait, partner, and head of employment at Browne Jacobson commented: “On behalf of our employment team, I would like to say how thrilled we are to have this opportunity to work with one of the firm’s long-standing key real estate clients, PHG.

“Like Browne Jacobson, PHG have a powerful profile in the Midlands and are on a mission to help drive positive change. There are many similarities with their business ethos and our own which is why our relationship with them has been a successful one since 2007. We look forward to further developing a strong strategic partnership with them and will continue to provide them excellent tailored commercially focused advice.”

PHG is one of the largest not-for-profit housing associations in the Midlands and has been recently appointed as one of Homes England’s Strategic Partners for the Affordable Homes Programme 2021-26. The group, which owns 46,000 homes in total – completed 1448 homes in 2019/20 (1,598 in 2018/19) at an investment of £258m (£228m in 2018/19). The Group also built more social rented homes – at a figure of 981 – during the past two years in England than any other provider, 523 in 2019/20, almost 33% of the total homes built. Platform Housing Group’s operating area is from Herefordshire in the West to the Lincolnshire coast in the East, and from the Derbyshire Dales in the North to the Cotswolds in the South.

Browne Jacobson’s 100-strong real estate practice cuts across three of the firm’s five offices in Birmingham, Nottingham and London. The team has extensive experience in complex transactional work and is highly recognised for delivering major projects across the country, including ground-breaking regeneration projects and major mixed-use schemes.

The firm’s leading national employment law team is made up of 20 highly experienced employment lawyers and HR professionals. The team advise a diverse client portfolio on restructures, redundancy exercises, mergers, acquisitions, disposals and managing change.