This week in buy-side news saw in-house teams respond to some of the biggest issues facing clients: bank ring-fencing and smaller panel arrangements. Energy giant National Grid renewed its current legal panel until 2019, while Barclays appointed Paul Loftus as head of legal for banking products and propositions in response to ring-fencing requirements.
National Grid, which carried out its last full panel review in 2015, reappointed 12 firms to its roster including Norton Rose Fulbright, Addleshaw Goddard, Irwin Mitchell and Herbert Smith Freehills. These firms, which were newly appointed in 2015, join CMS Cameron McKenna, DLA Piper, Eversheds, Linklaters, Berwin Leighton Paisner, Bircham Dyson Bell, Dentons and Shakespeare Martineau on the panel.
