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Law Society appoints two to its first-ever litigation panel

Author: ben.mitchell@legalweek.com

Published: 15/11/2007 02:19

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Bevan Brittan and Mills & Reeve have emerged as the big winners on the Law Society’s first-ever litigation panel, as Chancery Lane continues its drive to centralise spending.

The firms have landed the only two available places on the new panel, which will advise on representative work including proceedings begun by the society on behalf of the profession and general issues affecting solicitors.

The appointments, which carry a three-year term, went live from 1 November and follow a formal tender process completed earlier this year.

The review was overseen by the society’s in-house legal services department.

It is understood the Law Society has also kicked off a tender for the launch of two further new panels to handle its commercial and intellectual property work.

Regulatory partner Iain Miller will lead the team for Bevan Brittan, supported by the top 60 firm’s 34-lawyer commercial litigation practice.

The firm, which also acts for the Solicitors Regulation Authority, last year scooped a place on the Law Society’s new-look intervention panel alongside Eversheds, Hammonds and Hill Dickinson.

Miller told Legal Week: “This is undoubtedly a big client for us. From our point of view, it is fantastic to be able to add this extra element to our work for them.”

Bevan Brittan chief executive Stuart Whitfield added: “We already carry out interventions and disciplinary work for the Law Society and this appointment demonstrates the continuing development of our relationship with them as we aim to become their best adviser.”

Last year Chancery Lane also launched legal panels for its employment and property work.

The creation of the new panels is part of a wider package of cost-cutting measures brought in by chief executive Des Hudson designed to strip back annual expenditure at Chancery Lane. Earlier this year it axed 15 permanent jobs from its support function as part of a wider drive to shrink its information, communication and technology department from 114 to around 60 staff. It has also scaled back outside London by downsizing six of its provincial offices.

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