Public bodies are judged twice, first on the decision and later on the file. Advisory work for the public sector is therefore record work, making sure the power exists, the procedure was followed and the reasons are written where oversight will look for them.
The work
The practice advises public-sector undertakings, statutory authorities and government-linked entities. It reviews tender and contract documentation before issue, so that conditions are lawful, workable and dispute-resistant. It writes opinions on questions of power, procedure and delegation. It advises on claims as they build up during a contract, which is where most public-contract disputes are actually decided. And it supports responses to audit observations and oversight queries.
How the practice approaches it
The standard applied is the one the record will face later, in a writ court, an arbitration or an audit paragraph. The practice verifies the enabling provision, tests the proposed action against it, and states in writing what the file should contain. Advice a public officer cannot place on the file is not advice the practice gives.