National Grid has cut the number of law firms it employs on its panel by a quarter, the utilities giant announced today.

The company said that it has ‘sought to introduce fixed pricing and other innovative billing solutions wherever possible under the new arrangements, which also deliver increased efficiencies in hourly billing rates’.

Some 16 firms have won spots on the revised panel following a review by the company’s legal and procurement teams. Panel firms will report to group company secretary and general counsel Helen Mahy.

The practice areas and firms appointed are:

  • Commercial, construction and disputes: City firms Berwin Leighton Paisner and CMS Cameron McKenna, and City and national firm Eversheds.
  • Corporate: magic circle firms Allen & Overy and Linklaters.
  • Debt recovery: national firm Irwin Mitchell.
  • Employment: City firm CMS Cameron McKenna and Eversheds.
  • Energy and regulation (including competition): CMS Cameron McKenna and City firm SNR Denton, Anglo-Scottish firm Dundas & Wilson, Linklaters, Birmingham and London firm Martineau, and Leeds firm Walker Morris.
  • Health, safety and environment: CMS Cameron McKenna and national firm Hammonds.
  • Property and planning: Berwin Leighton Paisner, Hammonds and City firm Field Fisher Waterhouse; London firm Bircham Dyson Bell, Thames Valley firm BrookStreet des Roches; national firm DLA Piper; Dundas & Wilson; and Midlands firm Needham & James.
  • Trademarks and patents: Hammonds.

Mahy said: ‘The appointment of this new panel following an extensive and rigorous selection process reinforces National Grid’s key requirement for high-quality, cost-effective and innovative law firms to support our own professional in-house team. We have conducted a similar review and selection process to support our US legal function in parallel with this process.’