In the fast-paced sector of local government law, staying ahead means having the right tools at your fingertips. For one local authority, the turning point came when its legal team discovered the power of LexisNexis.
By using the Local Government Gold Package, which includes legal research and practical guidance modules tailored to the specific needs of each council, approximately 30 professionals are able to manage a wide array of issues. Research was completed faster, decisions became sharper, and the entire workflow clicked into place.
To find out what changed behind the scenes, we sat down with Gavin W., a solicitor in the authority's litigation team. His story reveals how the right legal technology can do more than support a team.
Daily legal challenges in local government
Gavin W.'s work spans a broad spectrum of legal areas, including litigation, planning, licensing and environmental law. “No two days are the same,” he said, reflecting on the variety and unpredictability of his role, which involves both courtroom advocacy and detailed legal drafting. Often operating with limited resources, the legal team is tasked with heavy caseloads while expected to keep up with evolving legislation and policy changes.
One major challenge? The need for highly tailored legal advice. “Certain resources are for private or non-public sector matters, whereas local authority work can be specific and niche,” Gavin noted. This often means fewer readily available authoritative sources and greater pressure on solicitors to carry out in-depth, up-to-date legal research without sacrificing speed or accuracy.
Why Lexis+® Legal Research stands out
For Gavin, the strength of Lexis+ Legal Research lies “...in its precision and reliability. LexisNexis is a king of legal research. It represents a significant step forward in modernising legal services as it is an undeniably powerful assistant and tool. It enhances accuracy, accelerates routine work, and allows an in-house legal officer to deliver better advice to clients.”
He frequently turns to the platform for legislation supported by expert commentary and real-time updates. This helps counteract common misunderstandings when non-lawyers reference outdated or incomplete public sources.
“A client asked about a specific Section in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. They were relying on legislation.gov.uk; however, unbeknownst to them, it had not been updated. Conversely, Lexis+ was up-to-date and it was confirmed that the relevant Section had been repealed. LexisNexis was enormously beneficial as it provided the most updated version of the Act. Without it, we might have relied on outdated law. At Court, this issue may have been particularly detrimental to our case. I trust and have confidence in LexisNexis.”
In another case involving Section 143 of the Highways Act, Lexis+ saved Gavin valuable time. “We needed to determine whether a caravan qualified as a structure. Lexis+ provided exactly the analysis I needed; it confirmed that caravans can be classified as structures in certain contexts. That saved potentially hours of research.”
Leveraging Lexis+® Practical Guidance and specialist content
Lexis+ Practical Guidance has become an essential tool for the authority's legal team, especially the Local Government module. “I read this regularly as it is guidance of the very highest quality,” Gavin said, highlighting its combination of in-depth content and user-friendly structure, along with seamless links across related practice areas. With 15 practice areas, there's something for everyone. Other modules Gavin cited as using regularly included:
- Dispute Resolution
- Environmental
- Planning
- Property
- Commercial
- and more.
Gavin also values the Ask Lexis® service for quick access to expert guidance when dealing with unfamiliar legal questions. “An option to have direct access to seasoned legal experts for specific guidance on complex points, nuanced queries or clarification has been an invaluable resource.”
The time-saving impact and return on investment
When asked how much time Lexis+ saves, Gavin shared a clear example:
“The research task about the caravan could have easily taken a few hours, as it was very specific, and whether or not a 'caravan' could be defined as a structure. The precision, speed and reliability of Lexis+ allowed me to discover the answer within an hour. This meant the answer was found swiftly, and I could move on to other tasks, and in a sometimes fast-paced environment, this was invaluable.”
Beyond isolated examples, the ongoing updates to Practical Guidance and the confidence from using verified, current legal content help reduce repetitive work. For a busy legal team, this improved efficiency translates directly into better focus, faster responses, and greater capacity to manage complex workloads.
Gavin was also clear about the overall value of the Local Government Gold Package, which includes Lexis+ Practical Guidance, Lexis® Smart Precedents, and Lexis® Smart Forms:
“Lexis+ is outstanding. Amongst all that it can do, it offers lightning fast, highly relevant results. Moreover, it allows an efficient approach to drafting.”
“Lexis+ is an indispensable asset. Without it, it would be more time consuming to complete tasks.”
A tool for better community outcomes
At its core, LexisNexis tools empowered the team to focus on what truly matters, serving the community. Gavin recalled a particularly meaningful case where the local authority's legal team prevented residents of a large housing estate from shouldering unfair costs after a developer tried to evade responsibility. “That was a proud moment. We helped protect people from being out of pocket.”
The local authority's experience clearly shows how the Local Government Gold Package enables legal teams to stay up to date, advise with confidence and work productively. From real-time legislation updates and in-depth Practical Guidance to 600 sources on Lexis+ Legal Research, LexisNexis is helping local governments easily navigate today's complex legal landscape.
As Gavin summed it up: “Lexis has become an integral part of my daily practice. It allows research to be streamlined and generate more efficient legal advice.”
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