INSTRUCTIONS OF THE WEEK

25.07.2002

Two new panels lead the way in this week's new instructions.

Barclays Bank's debt recovery panel - renamed the corporate recovery panel - has been reviewed after three years and 12 law firms have been appointed.

However, it will only be in place until next year when Barclays plans to review all of its various panels.

There are several big City names - Clifford Chance, Linklaters, Allen & Overy, Lovells, Simmons & Simmons, and DLA - as well as national firm Pinsent Curtis Biddle, international practice Salans Hertzfeld Heilbronn HRK, south-west firm Bond Pearce, Bristol-based TLT, Dickinson Dees in Newcastle, and Watford firm Matthew Arnold & Baldwin.

Motoring and 'vehicle solutions' company Lex Service - renaming itself RAC in December - put lawyers through a gruelling assessment centre before naming five firms on its first panel.

It replaces an ad hoc system which saw around 80 firms used by the business.

Pinsent Curtis Biddle, Birmingham firm Wragge & Co, M4 corridor practice Morgan Cole, and City firms Berwin Leighton Paisner and DLA won through the tender process.

The day-long assessment - which Lex normally uses for senior internal candidates - involved interviews and role-playing, among other activities.

Newcastle-based Watson Burton has picked up another major Dutch client after being named UK counsel to technical service provider Imtech.

The firm's construction and engineering team already acts for Dutch heavy engineering companies Damen Shipyard and Royal Schelde Group.

East Anglia-based Mills & Reeve has secured another NHS instruction to advise both the NHS Purchasing & Supply Agency and NHS Logistics Authority, replacing Pinsent Curtis Biddle.

The firm was also recently instructed to advise the National Blood Authority and the NHS Information Authority.

Bristol firm Burges Salmon has completed its first deal for Devonport Management, which owns the Devonport Royal Dockyard.

It acted on negotiations with the Ministry of Defence on a partnering agreement - known as the warship support initiative - on the provision of services to the naval base at Devonport.