The City of London's legal department is grappling with significant resourcing challenges, driven by a surge in complex corporate work and litigation, according to a report presented to the Corporate Services Committee.
The Comptroller & City Solicitors Department Business Plan 2026–2028: Quarter 2 Progress Report highlighted a notable increase in both complex cross-cutting corporate initiatives and litigation volumes. The department has seen a significant rise in complex corporate work, requiring substantial legal input across all teams. Major projects contributing to this include the Liverpool Street redevelopment, Silk Street redevelopment, the new City of London Police HQ, Markets Redevelopment, the Museum of London project, the Barbican renewal project, the Tower Bridge in Motion project, ongoing major works to the City's bridges, and the restructure of the City Bridge Trust property portfolio.
This surge in workload has created considerable pressure on the department's staff, including a 20% increase in employment advice volumes compared to the same period in 2025/6. This rise is significantly attributed to the Ambition 25 implementation, Barbican Settlement agreements, Establishment Committee activities, new recognition policies with trade unions, and Senior Management interviews.
Despite these resourcing pressures, the department has achieved several litigation successes. A significant Court of Appeal case concerning a non-domestic rate mitigation scheme, which was costing the City over £50 million annually, was successfully concluded.
To manage the increased workload and replace the current procured Access Legal system, the department is developing an in-house legal case management solution. This solution is on track for implementation in December 2026 and is forecast to deliver savings of £300,000 over the next five years, while also providing the necessary functionality and efficiencies.
However, the report indicated a high reliance on agency lawyers, who currently constitute 31% of the staff establishment, to cover additional workloads and vacancies. Recruitment of permanent staff has been problematic, with a high turnover rate of 10.1% for the rolling year, disproportionately impacting critical lawyer grades.
Michael Cogher, Comptroller & City Solicitor, presented the report, which was noted by the committee. The challenges faced by the legal department underscore the ongoing need for effective resource management within the City Corporation. Further details on the committee's proceedings can be found in the Public reports pack.
