Frank Suttie
Frank Suttie is a commercial law practitioner working predominantly at the interface between the public and private sectors. In his early career he gained experience in a range of government privatisations including in the transport and energy sectors.
He advised transport authorities engaged in the transfer of operations to the private sector under the provisions of the Transport Act 1986 and subsequently led a team that prepared the former Regional Railways North East British Railways division for privatisation His work in the sector continues with advice being provided in relation to authority/bus operator partnerships, ticketing projects and related technology procurement and more recently bus privatisation.
Frank was one of the first legal advisors to become involved in the implementation of the private finance initiative leading advisory engagements in a number of early projects within the education and health sectors including Durham University Hospital and Cardinal Heenan School Leeds.
His work in the education sector is private sector focussed – advising publishers, education technology businesses and their representative trade association in matters associated with the provision of products and services that enhance educational outcomes with in particular the use of technology.
Frank is author of a leading work in the area of data protection and provides expert advice in areas that include public procurement and subsidy control.
Practice Area
Panel
- Contributing Author
Qualified Year
- 1985
Experience
- Freeths LLP (2019 - Present)
Membership
- Society for Computing and the Law
Qualifications
- LLB (1982)
- BA Accountancy and Business Law (1975)
Education
- University of London (1982)
- University of Stirling (1975)
1 Contributions by Frank Suttie
PRACTICE NOTES
Governance, Assurance, Procurement and Legal Risk in UK Public Sector Project and Programme Management
The scope of this Practice Note
This Practice Note addresses project management for both stand-alone projects and larger, integrated programmes, and also covers risk management. Recognise that projects often sit within a wider programme (such as a corporate transformation), so programme-level disciplines must be applied as well. Risk management—legal risks included—should be woven into the chosen methodologies to secure successful outcomes.
It explains the difference between a project and a programme, how project assurance is overseen, and how risk strategies are built into the delivery of the relevant project or programme. It also points to commonly used methodologies.
Accountability for promoting sound project management across central government now sits with the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), launched on 1 April 2025 through the consolidation of the former Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) and the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC). Reference is also made to ongoing support, chiefly for local authorities, provided by Local Partnerships—an organisation hosted within the Local...
Public Law
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