Pearson eyes cost reductions with rejigged legal panel

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Pearson eyes cost reductions with rejigged legal panel

Education company Pearson has consolidated its legal adviser panels into new ‘preferred’ and ‘general’ rosters, moving away from specialised panels to help reduce costs.

Fourteen firms have been appointed to a new ‘preferred’ panel, which will cover what Pearson describes as ‘day to day requirements’, as well as new areas not formerly covered by external counsel such as US immigration and US employment work. A ‘general’ panel has also been introduced, consisting of 13 firms Pearson has a long-standing relationship with. Continue reading “Pearson eyes cost reductions with rejigged legal panel”

Barclays presses counsel for radical shake-up by 2021 as it unveils final panel

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Barclays is intent on pushing dozens of major law firms to adopt a radical overhaul in working arrangements in time for its long-planned move away from a formal panel by 2021.

The global banking giant confirmed on Monday (2 July) that it had completed its final global panel review, further reducing its advisers from 140 to just under 100 before it phases out a conventional legal panel altogether in three years. Continue reading “Barclays presses counsel for radical shake-up by 2021 as it unveils final panel”

Refreshing revamps: EDF and Co-op Group look to new firms in panel reviews

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Refreshing revamps: EDF and Co-op Group look to new firms in panel reviews

One of the UK’s big six energy suppliers, EDF Energy, has nearly halved its external advisers in a bid to plug into ‘deeper’ relationships, while the addition of two new firms mirrors the refreshment seen elsewhere in the Co-operative Group’s revamped legal panel.

In late April, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) were added to EDF’s new panel of eight firms, which has been cut from the previous 14. Continue reading “Refreshing revamps: EDF and Co-op Group look to new firms in panel reviews”

Two new faces gain membership to reshaped Co-op legal panel

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Two new faces gain membership to reshaped Co-op legal panel

Seven firms have won spots on a revamped Co-op Group legal panel which sees its corporate, commercial and property panels combined to work alongside primary adviser Allen & Overy (A&O).

Newly-appointed firms Fieldfisher and Squire Patton Boggs join Addleshaw Goddard, Pinsent Masons, Hill Dickinson, Brodies and Paris Smith for a three-year term, following a review which began last year. Continue reading “Two new faces gain membership to reshaped Co-op legal panel”

Panel beaters – Balfour revamps Pinsents partnership as Barclays’ buying shake-up signals its last panel contest

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Panel beaters – Balfour revamps Pinsents partnership as Barclays’ buying shake-up signals its last panel contest

Is big business turning its back on the conventional legal panel? This month at least sees two prominent examples, with listed infrastructure group Balfour Beatty extending and revamping its sole supplier partnership with Pinsent Masons as banking giant Barclays unveils its final global panel review.

Pinsents today (5 March) announced its sole supplier mandate with the FTSE 250 company had been re-signed until 2020, the second extension to a deal which kicked off in April 2013. The latest partnership, however, has introduced new pricing structures for greater flexibility. Continue reading “Panel beaters – Balfour revamps Pinsents partnership as Barclays’ buying shake-up signals its last panel contest”

‘A wonderful opportunity’: Network Rail begins long journey to new £70m adviser panel

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‘A wonderful opportunity’: Network Rail begins long journey to new £70m adviser panel

Network Rail has begun its longest-ever panel review process for external adviser work, which could be worth up to £70m over five years from next April.

The rail company’s review will be the first under new group general counsel Stuart Kelly, who was promoted from deputy group GC following the departure of Suzanne Wise in March last year for a non-legal role as senior vice-president for corporate development at Japan Tobacco International . The review will be led by Network Rail route businesses GC Dan Kayne. Continue reading “‘A wonderful opportunity’: Network Rail begins long journey to new £70m adviser panel”

Societe Generale names a dozen firms to new global law roster

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Societe Generale names a dozen firms to new global law roster

French financial services group Societe Generale (SocGen) has named 12 law firms to its new international panel, with a further six practices instructed for disputes and tax work.

The panel is split into 12 full-service firms, which is broken down further into eight ‘preferred’ firms and four ‘selected’ firms, with a further six specialists responsible for large litigation and tax. The European banking giant said the panel was designed to cover its requirements across the 66 countries it operates in, complemented by local panels in those countries. Continue reading “Societe Generale names a dozen firms to new global law roster”

Panel reviews: Vodafone and Yum! Brands shake up external adviser rosters

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Panel reviews: Vodafone and Yum! Brands shake up external adviser rosters

Mobile phone giant Vodafone has completed a review of its legal panel, with seven firms making the cut, while KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut owner Yum! Brands has also finalised its roster.

The number of firms on Vodafone’s panel remains the same as the last time it was reviewed in 2014, but DLA Piper and Eversheds Sutherland have lost their slots this time, replaced by Squire Patton Boggs and TMT specialist Wiggin. The firms remaining on the roster are Magic Circle outfits Slaughter and May and Linklaters, alongside Hogan Lovells, Norton Rose Fulbright and Osborne Clarke. Continue reading “Panel reviews: Vodafone and Yum! Brands shake up external adviser rosters”

Beauty parade in the offing as Government announces launch of £650m ‘legal services marketplace’

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Beauty parade in the offing as Government announces launch of £650m ‘legal services marketplace’

Part of an ongoing and concerted effort to manage the public purse for legal advice, the Government has announced plans to set up a £650m marketplace for the public sector to procure legal services.

Central government, devolved administrations and public bodies would procure legal advice through the marketplace, according to a pre-tender notice published by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) this week. Continue reading “Beauty parade in the offing as Government announces launch of £650m ‘legal services marketplace’”