My role
I’m a partner who plays a leading role in our work with local authorities, housing associations and businesses, in transforming services for the public and meeting the many challenges in society. I am training principal for the firm, responsible for the care of our trainee solicitors and the recruitment and retention of talented people wishing to join their ranks.
My experience
For over 25 years I have advised on working together across the public, private and civil society sectors. I provide strategic advice on models for transforming public services and believe in the ability of those on the ground to make the difference in their neighbourhoods. I am an expert in making social value a core feature in public services.
‘Mark Cook was professional, and always met deadlines. He also gave practical advice not just the legal position.’ Legal 500, 2023
My specialisms
- Public procurement and state aid
- Local government and public law
- Company and commercial law
- Enabling innovation and making connections
Blog
My latest articles
Using powers and policies to make municipal enterprise a success
This may be obvious, but councils have been active in entrepreneurial activity within their functions for a very long time. I get nostalgic about the days when I started my career as a public sector commercial lawyer when I would seek and find specific functions that enabled a council to do something positive in the community or to use its resources more efficiently, with the benefit of an income stream.
Procurement Bill – Power to the people! (Otherwise known as ‘maximising public benefit’)
On a hot day such as 18 July 2022, what better repast than to wander on to the Government’s Transforming Public Procurement page and then to meander on to the Hansard record of the House of Lords Committee Stage reading of 13 July?
Social value in the award of central government contracts
The UK Government has been consulting on how it should promote social value in its procurements. Here is our response that we submitted to the consultation...