LDA cuts adviser roster in half after review

The London Development Agency (LDA) has completed a major review of its roster of external legal advisers, chopping its panel down from 18 firms to 8.

The organisation selected Ashfords, Burges Salmon, DLA Piper, Eversheds, Herbert Smith, Lovells, Shepherd and Wedderburn and Stephenson Harwood from a total of around 200 applicants.

LDA director of law and governance Debbie Adams oversaw the process, which was conducted via the organisation's online procurement system.

The firms on the new panel will advise the LDA - which supports a range of projects across the capital, including the 2012 Olympics and Crossrail - on areas of law including projects, finance, corporate, commercial, real estate, public law, litigation, employment, pensions, construction, IT law, state aid, EU procurement and intellectual property.

Commenting on the review, Adams said: "We are delighted to have received so many applications and to have been able to select such a strong panel to advise us in building on our commitment to better corporate governance and delivering improved services for Londoners."

Separately, Lambeth Borough Council has completed its panel review. Pinsent Masons, Birketts, Eversheds, TPP Law and Ashfords are among the firms to win places to handle the organisation's public-private partnerships and corporate law work. Contracts will commence on 1 July.