Five firms have been appointed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to its first ever litigation panel.
The SRA said the purpose of the tender was to establish a panel of firms able to provide co-ordinated support across a range of different types of service including contested interventions, judicial reviews, regulatory appeals, recovery litigation and regulatory advice.
The five firms are Legal Futures Associate Bevan Brittan [1], Capsticks, Devonshires, Field Fisher Waterhouse and Russell-Cooke.
The appointments will be for three years and will replace the previous arrangements where a small number of firms had been instructed on a case-by-case basis.
SRA chief executive Antony Townsend said: “We are pleased that the objectives of the tender were met. The firms selected had to show their expertise and act as a co-ordinated team when dealing with large and complex cases as well as satisfying us on their commitment to equality and diversity principles.
“We achieved our aim and received a good response from all parts of the legal community. We are confident that the five firms we have chosen will provide us with high-quality service over the next three years.”