Karen Andrews
Karen specialises in the provision of advice to clients seeking to procure new education infrastructure through innovative procurement techniques including Buildings Schools for the Future and the Private Finance Initiative.
Karen recently advised Leicester City Council on its project which completed in December 2007. Other BSF experience includes advising Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, North East Lincolnshire Council and the London Borough of Waltham Forest on their respective BSF schemes. She has also advised local authorities around the north of England including Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council and Sheffield City Council on the procurement of schools PFI schemes.
Karen's experience also covers a wide range of projects including joint ventures, management buy outs, privatisations and PPP/PFI and regeneration schemes working both for the public and private sectors. Karen practiced as a property lawyer for a number of years developing a niche role as a "trouble-shooter" dealing with the property aspects of complex public sector and corporate projects.
Karen is cited in the Chambers Guide to the UK Legal Profession as an astute commercial negotiator having gained recognition as such from both her clients and peers. She is renowned for her drive and enthusiasm and for the contribution which this makes to the delivery of complex, multi stakeholder projects. Karen was selected as one of the 'Hot 100' by The Lawyer magazine in 2006 for her role leading a team advising the London Borough of Merton on the part termination of a six-school PFI project to make room for two academies - a government ‘pathfinder’ project that was the first of its kind.