Appendix 3: Denise Fowler's CV
PERSONAL PROFILE
Deputy Legal Director, (recently Acting Legal Director
at DCLG) with wide ranging leadership and management experience
gained in the public, private and voluntary sectors. Significant
experience of advising Ministers and senior officials on law,
governance and propriety, including in relation to NDPBs. Housing
law specialist in private practice and significant expertise in
complaint resolution gained at the Housing Ombudsman.
Key Skills and attributes
· Excellent legal knowledge and expertise
· Experienced leader and manager, with a
collaborative leadership style
· Commands confidence of Ministers, Board
and Senior Officials
· Develops strong working relationships
· Builds team and organisational capability
· Experienced in independent , impartial
dispute resolution
· Experienced in brokering legal solutions
to politically complex issues
· Leads organisational change, including
championing shared services
· Experienced in corporate governance and
financial management
CAREER SUMMARY
Treasury Solicitors/ Department of Communities
and Local Government
Acting Legal Director June to September 2014,
December 2012 to January 2013
Led the legal team advising DCLG Ministers and officials.
64 lawyers in 5 legal teams Housing, Local Government, Planning
(Reform and Casework), European Programmes and Local Growth. Advised
personally on key issues. Introduced new robust governance and
management processes for the Legal Directorate aligned to the
new TSol shared service governance arrangements. Established an
ongoing training programme to develop line management capability
and confidence within the Directorate.
Deputy Director?Head of Planning Law, 2011-present
Member of senior management team, advising DCLG Ministers
and officials on the reform of planning and environmental law,
policy and guidance and (until April 2014) on Planning casework
and litigation. Led 3 teams of lawyers (up to 22 lawyers in total).
Key achievements included:
· Localism Act 2011 (Bill and implementing
SIs);
· Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013 (Bill
and implementing SIs);
· National Planning Policy Framework and
Guidance;
· Further Secondary legislation e.g. Community
Infrastructure Levy, General Permitted Development Order.
Led a workstream in the Departmental Better Department
change programme in 2012 "One Department One Team" to
encourage collaborative working between policy, legal and other
colleagues. And, as part of the move to TSol shared services,
led on the introduction of more effective business planning arrangements
and on new ways of working between policy colleagues and TSol
litigation and advisory teams.
Department for Work & Pensions, Deputy Director?Head
of Commercial Law 2008-2011
Member of senior management team responsible for
leading a shared legal service providing commercial legal advice
to DWP and the Department of Health Ministers and official. Led
up to 44 lawyers in teams based in London, Leeds, Warrington and
Blackpool. Advice included:
· large scale public sector procurements
· contractual negotiations
· creation and dissolution of arms' length
bodies
· new commercial vehicles e.g. joint ventures
· Freedom of Information and Data Protection
and commercial confidentiality.
From December 2008 to April 2010 as Head of Employment
Law I also advised on the whole range of employment legal issues
including employee relations, TUPE, casework and employment litigation.
Led a change programme to transform the way in which we delivered
our commercial legal services which significantly increased customer
satisfaction and reduced legal spend by more than 30%.
Department of Communities and Local Government,
Head of Regeneration law, 2004-2008
Member of senior management team, advising DCLG Ministers
and officials, including the Board on all aspects of regeneration
law including
· Housing & Regeneration Act 2008;
· European Regional Development Fund regulations
2007;
· Compulsory Purchase Procedure rules 2006;
· establishment and sponsorship of NDPBs;
· grant funding; and
· Compulsory purchase law and oversight
of compulsory purchase litigation.
Senior Lawyer, DCLG, 2002-2004
Public law advisory work including public and European
litigation and the development and implementation of legislation
in relation to housing. Key achievements included advising on
the Anti—Social Behaviour Act 2003, the Housing Act 2004,
the housing aspects of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 and the
Law Commission Review of Housing Tenure.
Independent Housing Ombudsman, Principal Investigator
2000-2002
Member of the Senior Management Team, responsible
for all investigations into alleged maladministration by housing
associations.
Cockar Morrison Fowler, Solicitors, Partner in
legal aid practice, Head of Housing 1997-2000
One of three founding partners, head of the Housing
Law, dealing with litigation (often against local authorities),
judicial review, statutory appeals and civil claims.
Belshaw & Curtin, Solicitors, Solicitor 1994-1997
Trainee and then housing lawyer, dealing with all
aspects of housing legal advice and litigation, specialising in
disrepair, statutory appeals and judicial review.
Housing Advice Resource Unit, Housing law trainer
and consultant, 1990-1993
Second tier advice agency offering advice, consultancy,
training and support to voluntary sector groups and Southwark
Council.
Hammersmith and Fulham Housing Aid Centre, Housing
Adviser 1988-1990
Pensioners Link Community worker, welfare rights
and housing adviser 1985-1988
QUALIFICATIONS
· Qualified as a solicitor November 1996
· Legal Practice Course, BPP Law School
1995
· Common Professional Examination in Law,
Nottingham Trent University (1993)
· Degree Psychology, Warwick University
(1985).
CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ACTIVITIES (A FEW EXAMPLES)
A variety of legal training courses each year e.g.
Joint Oxford Planning Law Conference (guest)
Human Rights Law Conference, Admin Law conference
CSL: Managers Developing Others
CSL Change Management
CSL Adaptive Leadership
DWP Senior Leaders Programme
Leading Change, National School for Government
| 
