Transport for London (TfL) is within the strategy of shortlisting companies for its new authorized companies framework, as the present roster enters the final yr of its current line-up.
The federal government physique is reviewing submissions from companies to attract up a shortlist of bidders to be invited to tender. The profitable companies are anticipated to be appointed this December.
The panel was final reviewed in 2019, when 15 companies have been appointed. Seven of these have been new to the panel on the time – Addleshaw Goddard, Burges Salmon, DLA Piper, Stephenson Harwood, Pinsent Masons, Womble Bond Dickinson and BDB Pitmans – whereas the opposite eight have been reappointments; Ashurst, Eversheds Sutherland, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Dentons, Herbert Smith Freehills, Ok&L Gates, Trowers & Hamlins and Gowling WLG.
The brand new framework, which is value as much as £120m, covers eight areas – employment regulation; main industrial issues; rail trade; routine industrial and actual property (contentious and noncontentious); housing; complicated property and industrial improvement; main consents; and city and nation planning and highways.
As with final time, the panel will run for at the very least 4 years, with an possibility to increase for an extra two. The appointed companies will advise TfL and its subsidiaries, in addition to TfL’s shared companies shoppers, together with the Higher London Authority.
TfL’s present common counsel is Andrea Clarke, who was appointed on a everlasting foundation earlier this yr after serving as interim GC following the retirement of Howard Carter, who had held the highest authorized function for 18 years.
TfL’s largest tasks lately have after all included Crossrail, the railway infrastructure supporting the brand new Elizabeth line. Stephenson Harwood suggested on a variety of points regarding the supply of that venture, with a workforce led by rail companions Tammy Samuel, Suzanne Tarplee and Darren Fodey, working alongside colleagues from the agency’s tax, tasks and actual property, disputes and company apply.
The agency’s work included advising on the institution of Rail for London (Infrastructure), a brand new firm chargeable for the day-to-day administration of the Crossrail infrastructure, in addition to guiding TfL via the related regulatory necessities.
Over the length of the present authorized framework, different vital issues have included Burges Salmon advising on TfL’s efforts to energy the London Tube community with renewable vitality, whereas Pinsent Masons helped to safe consent for the £1bn Silvertown Tunnel underneath the Thames – described by lead accomplice Robbie Owen as ‘one of the crucial difficult and controversial infrastructure tasks in London lately’.
Tom.Cox@legalease.co.uk
