Member Article

Shakespeare Martineau reappointed to prestigious National Grid panel

Law firm, Shakespeare Martineau, has been reappointed to National Grid’s panel of legal advisers, following a competitive tender process. The firm, which has a specialist energy team led by partner, Andrew Whitehead, has secured one of 10 available spots on the panel, which has slimmed down from 12.

Having worked closely with National Grid for over 25 years, Shakespeare Martineau is joined on the panel by Addleshaw Goddard, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang, Dentons, DLA Piper, Eversheds Sutherland, Herbert Smith Freehills, Linklaters and Womble Bond Dickinson.

Running for three years, with the possibility of two one-year extensions, the appointment will see Shakespeare Martineau continuing to work with National Grid, advising on a wide range of legal matters for its various UK regulated and unregulated businesses.

The news comes at a time where the energy sector is a keen focus for the firm, having recently advised Grain LNG, part of National Grid, on a significant piece of work ahead of a significant capacity expansion at the large Thames Estuary LNG import terminal. The Energy team’s expertise is also growing, with the recent appointment of partner, Ian Griffiths, a construction and energy specialist who brings with him an intimate knowledge of the UK’s nuclear sector. The team also bolstered its energy real estate offering in the summer with new recruits arriving into its Nottingham office.

Andrew Whitehead, senior partner and head of energy at law firm, Shakespeare Martineau, said: “National Grid is at the forefront of a UK energy sector which continues to evolve and transform, driven by decarbonisation, decentralisation and digitalisation. At a time of rapid technological advances and economic and political change, it’s such a privilege to have the opportunity to continue working alongside National Grid’s team to provide forward-thinking and pragmatic legal advice which helps them achieve their goals.

“As our clients adapt to change, so we do, and this is therefore a time when we’ve been investing in both people and technology, so we remain aligned to our energy clients and responsive to the new challenges ahead. Our core energy team is complemented by a diverse range of specialists from across the firm all focussed on the sector, including construction, property, dispute resolution and commercial lawyers: as National Grid’s work evolves, we’re able to evolve alongside them every step of the way.”

Shakespeare Martineau’s energy team operates from across the firm’s offices in Birmingham, Nottingham, Leicester, London, Milton Keynes, Stratford upon Avon and Sheffield.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Shakespeare Martineau .