Media centre

Tuesday 27 Nov 2012

Network Rail to refresh legal panel

Region & Route:

National

Network Rail is inviting a selected list of law firms to tender for a place on its legal panel.

The current panel line-up consists of:

• Addleshaw Goddard
• Berrymans Lace Mawer
• Bircham Dyson Bell
• Bond Pearce
• Clifford Chance
• Eversheds
• Kennedys
• Maclay Murray and Spens
• Macroberts
• Schofield Sweeney
• Simmons & Simmons
• Winckworth Sherwood

All of these firms are being asked to re-tender. In addition eight other firms, selected for their relevant experience, have also been invited to take part in the tender. All twenty firms are being invited to a tender launch presentation in December and will be asked to submit their responses in January with pitch meetings taking place during February.

The firms are being asked to provide legal support that will match the needs of Network Rail’s entire business, but especially in the areas of corporate projects and commercial contracts, litigation, employment and property.

Network Rail general counsel Suzanne Wise is leading the review and commented: “It is over three years since Network Rail last undertook a panel review and to make sure we continue to get best value from our panel and take advantage of innovative new ways of working, it is important that we go out and test the market. I expect that the new panel will be in place by no later than the start of our next financial year in April 2013.”