Simon Hancock

Simon is an experienced Partner specialising in acting for the private sector on major projects, infrastructure and outsourcing procurements. This includes PPP/PFI, defence, aerospace, technology/digitalisation and decarbonisation projects.

Simon has advised sponsors, funders and sub-contractors across a number of primary PPP/PFIs in the health, education and university, social justice, energy and waste, and transport sectors. He has worked on domestic and international projects, including in Ireland, Greece and Canada. He also advises on secondary market PPP/PFI transactions, in addition to the full range of concession management issues on operational projects from PayMech interpretation to expiry and handback requirements.

Simon advises consortia/prime contractors on complex and sensitive Defence, Security and Aerospace projects. This includes advice on structures, bid strategy and negotiations with UK MoD/international equivalent and the supply chain, and restructuring issues. He has experience of projects involving various defence platforms, training and tech. In the UK, Simon advises on the Model Services and SC Template contracts, commercial policy statements, DEFCONs/DEFFORMs and single source issues.

Simon co-leads the firm's heat practice, advising on district and communal heating projects. He has advised on various low carbon infrastructure projects and energy services procurements, predominantly for the private sector and many involving public sector frameworks or competitive procedures.

He has been involved in various outsourcing contracts (on/offshore and various Crown Commercial Service/public sector framework and call-off agreements) and complex service contracts for bidders under the competitive dialogue regime. Examples include the outsourcing of front-line public services (including libraries, custody/detention), facilities management, public-private estates/development partnerships and digitalisation, digital infrastructure and telecoms (including broadband, mobile communications and cloud computing).

Helping you succeed in tomorrow's world

I've been fortunate enough to have enjoyed two secondments to the legal teams of an international infrastructure client and an UK telecoms client. This taught me the value of a "one team - can do" approach: close working with the commercial etc team and looking to be pragmatic and coming to the table with alternative options in order to achieve the ultimate aim of getting a sensible deal done. This is how I look to work with all clients, whether instructed by the business or in-house legal team.