Longstanding incumbents Linklaters, CMS and Dentons have kept hold of their panel spots following Sainsbury’s review of its roster. DAC Beachcroft and Herbert Smith Freehills, which were first appointed in 2020, have also maintained their position on the roster. Three other firms were reselected: Morton Fraser, TLT and Winckworth Sherwood. Nick Grant, director of legal […]
NatWest, which this year has been engulfed in a scandal over Nigel Farage’s bank account, has asked firms to pitch for a place on its legal panel. The Lawyer understands that the financial institution commenced the process after the summer. A panel review was always due for this year, with around 10 to 20 firms […]
Eight firms have been replaced with new advisers on a 28-strong NHS panel valued at £200m. NHS Shared Business Services (SBS) has announced which firms have made it onto its legal framework. The 28 appointments are divvied up between 11 different lots covering areas including employment, property and legal recovery. The firms to have come […]
Cadent Gas, which split from National Grid seven years ago, has updated its legal panel by reappointing five firms and adding on two more. The National Grid offshoot has given first-time places to Addleshaw Goddard and DWF. Both have been appointed onto the general services lot for Cadent, while Addleshaws has additionally won a spot […]
Three years after pledging to reward a panel firm for its diversity efforts, BT has made good on its promise and automatically reappointed one of its advisers. BT Group has crowned Addleshaw Goddard as having the best diversity and inclusion (D&I) track record among its existing legal panel, which automatically wins the firm a spot […]
After nearly a decade of working with a single provider, Tesco has brought a second firm onto its property panel in its latest review. Traditionally reliant on Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner for real estate advice, the UK retailer has appointed DWF to advise on general asset management of Tesco’s property portfolio of over 3,000 stores. […]
The Scottish Government has refreshed and reduced the size of its legal panel, with eight firms making the cut. Scottish independents Harper Macleod and Anderson Strathern are among the firms that have been reappointed to the panel, which will run between 2023 and 2027. There are six lots in total and Harper Macleod has been […]
“I am pretty sure most lawyers have sat around a board table where a client has asked them to draw what they think an ideal lawyer is as part of a pitch.” Law firms often complain that pitch processes can be lengthy, uncomfortable and a waste of time if you don’t end up getting picked. […]
Mercedes-Benz has reviewed its general panel of legal advisers in the UK, with two firms making the cut. Shoosmiths has been reappointed from the last panel and Freeths is a new addition. It is expected that Shoosmiths and Freeths will support Mercedes-Benz on a full-services basis for the next three years. The duo is expected […]
A pair of firms has been appointed to SmartestEnergy’s legal services panel following a rare tender from the B2B energy company, The Lawyer has learnt. Reed Smith and Walker Morris is the duo that has made it onto the roster, forcing SmartestEnergy’s longstanding incumbent Gowling WLG out of the picture. Walker Morris will support SmartestEnergy […]
Listed water services company Pennon Group has finalised its first panel review under its new general counsel, with Allen & Overy and Slaughter and May among those appointed. The other firms with places on the panel are Ashfords, Burges Salmon, Charles Russell Speechly, Squire Patton Boggs, TLT and Winston & Strawn. The selected firms will […]
Panels. “They are excruciating, but necessary,” one partner says. “You can get over 200 questionnaires to fill in every year for mid-panel or full panel reviews, it’s a full time job,” another exclaims. “There can be a bit of a disconnect as to what is actually expected of you, and what a company wants from […]