Bristol law firms TLT and Osborne Clarke have kept their places on BT’s slimmed down UK legal panel, with TLT expanding its role.
The telecoms giant took the decision to consolidate its panel from 40 firms down to 15 following a review to enable deeper and stronger relationships with a core set of panel firms. 
The scope of the panel exercise included all UK legal matters for external advice as well as international matters originating from BT’s head office.
Firms submitted bids across 21 lots representing different areas of law where BT requires external legal advice and representation.
TLT and Osborne Clarke survived the cull of 25 firms along with DAC Beachcroft, Simmons & Simmons, CMS and DWF – all of which have offices in Bristol.
BT group general counsel Sabine Chalmers said: “We continue to transform and simplify the way we work across BT.
“We hope to foster closer relationships with a smaller panel such that firms can support us more effectively. Delivery of the right advice including the correct judgement calls requires insight into our business.”
TLT has retained its position as a preferred supplier for litigation & investigations and is now also a preferred supplier for employment.
The firm, which employs more than 100 partners and around 1,000 people across its Bristol headquarters and offices in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Belfast, also has the opportunity to provide a much wider range of services to BT on a needs and capability basis over the next three years.
TLT was selected based on its approach to innovation, client and industry expertise, regional strength and global reach. 
The process was led by partners James Touzel and Daniel Lloyd – head of TLT’s digital sector team and telecoms sub-sector team respectively.
James Touzel, pictured, said: “The team has done a fantastic job of servicing BT’s needs and adding real value to this client relationship over the last three years.
“We are really pleased to have not just retained our position on BT’s legal panel, but to have grown our remit, despite the extent of the consolidation exercise.
“The way we deliver legal services has changed dramatically over recent years, from offering near-legal consultancy on regulatory issues in the digital sector to launching legaltech solutions to help our clients operate more efficiently and deliver more value to their internal and external stakeholders.
“We are looking forward to working with BT and the other panel firms to develop the right kinds of solutions to meet BT’s needs over the next three years.”
Osborne Clarke employs around 600 staff in its Bristol office out of 1,000 across all its 24 UK and international bases.
Other firms on the new BT legal panel are Addleshaw Goddard; Allen & Overy; Bird & Bird; Covington & Burling; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer; Lewis Silkin; Shepherd and Wedderburn and Winckworth Sherwood. Among those removed from the list were ‘magic circle’ firms Clifford Chance and Linklaters.
