The Crown Estate has awarded the legal mandate for its energy, minerals and infrastructure portfolio to LB 100 firms Hogan Lovells and Bond Dickinson.

The panel was last reviewed in 2013 when Norton Rose Fulbright was given a spot alongside Bond Dickinson. General counsel (GC) Rob Booth oversaw the tender process, which was commenced in September 2016. Booth replaced previous GC Vivienne King in May 2016.

The appointments will see Hogan Lovells advising the Crown Estate’s renewable energy business, including its offshore wind portfolio which supplies 5% of the UK’s annual electricity.

Bond Dickinson will offer advice to the Crown Estate’s minerals and infrastructure business, which covers marine aggregates and subsea cables and pipelines.

Hogan Lovells client relationship partner and chair, Nicholas Cheffings said: ‘We have acted for The Crown Estate for a number of years now and it is a treasured relationship. To win this mandate, we had to display a compelling combination of real estate, energy and infrastructure expertise.’

Booth (pictured) added: ‘We are very happy to announce these appointments, which support our continued delivery of a best in class legal service across The Crown Estate. We have great confidence in Bond Dickinson and Hogan Lovells; advising on this highly strategic portfolio of assets.’

The Crown Estate oversees an eight million square ft £7bn central London commercial property portfolio including all of Regent Street and a large portion of St James’s.

In January 2017, The Crown Estate awarded the sole mandate for this portfolio to Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP).

Upon Booth’s appointment in May 2016, it was announced that the Crown Estate will be overhauling its sets of legal advisers.

tom.baker@legalease.co.uk

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