Useful resources
Commissioning Pack
Practical information to help you define the work, discuss it internally and arrange an instruction.
Prepare a clear, proportionate instruction.
Use this pack to bring the issue, intended outputs and practical arrangements into one discussion. It includes public company details and scoping prompts; the written proposal confirms the particular work, fees and timetable.
Public company and contact information
| Contracting entity | Devol Legal Limited |
|---|---|
| Company number | 16562571 · Registered in England and Wales |
| VAT number | GB 499 7797 80 |
| Registered office | Unit 53c, Unimix House, Abbey Road, London NW10 7TR |
| Principal adviser | Lee Vallender |
| Telephone | 020 8150 9869 |
| info@devol-legal.com · lee@devol-legal.com | |
| Settlement method | Bank transfer / BACS. Payment information is provided through the agreed instruction arrangements. |
Read the instruction and onboarding information · Read the regulatory information
Start with the decision or outcome you need.
Bring to the first discussion
- The issue and the decision required.
- The intended outcome and the people who will use the work.
- Your timetable, committee date or other relevant deadline.
- The organisations involved and the internal lead.
- The support you need and the information already available.
Agree in the proposal
- The question, scope, included work and exclusions.
- The deliverables and how drafts or findings will be reviewed.
- The information and contributions each party will provide.
- The fee basis, timetable, milestones and reporting arrangements.
- How changes to the agreed work will be handled.
Please do not send confidential or highly sensitive material until requested. An enquiry does not itself create a client relationship. Parties and subject matter are checked before an instruction is accepted.
Illustrative ways to scope the work
These examples help frame a discussion. They are not quotations, fixed packages or descriptions of client work. The agreed proposal sets the deliverables, methods, fees and timing.
| Commission | Question to define | Possible outputs to agree | Boundaries to settle |
|---|---|---|---|
| A focused service review | What is working, what needs attention and what should happen next? | Concise assessment, evidence index, options and prioritised next steps. | Service or topic covered, period reviewed, available evidence, discussions and exclusions. |
| A strategy or business plan | Which outcomes and priorities should guide the next stage? | Strategy or business-plan draft, options, responsibilities and delivery priorities. | Evidence gathering, engagement, level of financial analysis and review or approval arrangements. |
| Committee report support | What report, evidence or decision-making support is needed? | Agreed drafting or review support, questions to resolve and revised material. | Decision required, documents, internal contributors, review route and committee timetable. |
| Practical delivery support | What work is needed to move agreed priorities forward? | Delivery plan, partner coordination material, progress reports or agreed project outputs. | Named responsibilities, resource assumptions, dependencies and review points. |
Fees and timing: Devol Legal's instruction information describes fixed-fee stages, capped day rates and retainers as possible arrangements. The appropriate basis and timetable are agreed for the work. No price or delivery period is implied by these examples.
The route to instruction
- Initial discussion. Explain the issue, decision required and timetable. The initial 30-minute discussion is offered at no charge and without obligation.
- Conflict clearance and written scope. The proposed work, deliverables, fee basis, milestones and timetable are agreed before work begins.
- Procurement and supplier onboarding. Devol Legal supports the authority's onboarding requirements. The route to instruction is considered for the particular services and the authority's requirements.
- Delivery and handover. Agree the written outputs, review points and handover to the relevant officers.
Contracting and regulatory scope: Instructions are contracted with Devol Legal Limited. The company provides unreserved legal, regulatory, governance and public-sector management consultancy services and is not itself authorised or regulated by the Bar Standards Board. Where reserved legal activities are required, Devol Legal helps clients instruct appropriately authorised practitioners.
Organise your priorities before the discussion.
The checks offer practical prompts based on your answers, without legal compliance scores. You can use their summaries to prepare a brief.
- Market & Town Centre Health Check
- Committee Report Readiness Check
- Town Centre Delivery Check
- Procurement Planning Check
Browse the existing practical checklists · Explore all services