Which? magazine, famous for giving consumers impartial advice on products from cars to washing machines, has reviewed its own legal line-up to create its first formal panel.
The magazine and campaigning body has named five firms on a new line-up after its first-ever formal review of outside counsel.
Charles Russell has been named on the roster as the charity’s employment adviser and Foot Anstey has been retained to look after its defamation portfolio. Barlow Lyde & Gilbert and Clyde & Co have also been named as advisers. In addition, Wedlake Bell has been named as the company’s chief adviser for intellectual property work.
The review was conducted by Which? general counsel Deborah Prince, who joined from supermarket giant Tesco in June last year to lead the consumer watchdog’s internal legal team of five.
Prince told Legal Week: “These firms are the right size for us and their attitude is in-line with ours. We will be an important client to them.”
Prince also said that she was considering undertaking a practice-specific review for defamation, the charity’s largest area of legal work.
The London-based group, which publishes magazines giving advice on diverse areas including gardening, holidays, computing and electrical equipment, also has an online advisory service and campaigns on a wide variety of issues.
Recently the organisation highlighted charges made by banks on unauthorised overdrafts, as well as pursuing a representative action against JJB Sports on the issue of price-fixing football shirts.
