Transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD), which has its second-largest office in Bristol, has been appointed to a new legal panel for energy giant National Grid following a competitive tender process.
WBD is the only new firm to be appointed to the panel, which has also been reduced from 12 firms to 10. 
The UK full-service panel for the FTSE 100 company – one of the world’s largest investor-owned energy businesses – covers a broad range of legal services including both regulated and non-regulated property and planning, corporate services, as well as gas and electricity legal work.
More than 60 firms are understood to have applied to be included on the panel, said to be worth around £12m a year.
The review, which began in May this year, was originally going to reduce the number of advisers to six. The new contracts start on February 1 for three years, with an option to extend for a further two.
Bristol-based WBD real estate partner Fiona O’Kane, pictured, said: “It’s fantastic to be appointed to National Grid’s UK legal panel, and to be one of 10 firms selected from a field of 60.
“We are committed to working innovatively and effectively with National Grid to deliver legal solutions and will bring our extensive energy sector expertise to the relationship.
“As always, we are grateful for the huge amount of effort and hard work across the firm that has gone in to securing this appointment.”
The appointment follows WBD’s recent appointments to Transport for London (TfL) and Crown Commercial Service’s legal panels.
WBD has advised clients in the energy industry for decades, building a depth of experience across various different forms of energy and power and able to guide cleints through the complex issues that affect companies operating in the sector.
WBD’s work in the energy industry covers all types of electricity generation and gas production projects, including the development, installation and operation of new electricity transmission networks and gas pipeline systems. The team has always advised projects at the leading edge of innovation.
WBD, which employs more than 250 staff in Bristol, provides a full range of legal expertise from across its eight UK bases and 19 offices in the US.
Firms reselected for the National Grid panel were Addleshaw Goddard, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang, Dentons, DLA Piper, Eversheds Sutherland, Herbert Smith Freehills, Linklaters and Shakespeare Martineau.
The three firms dropped from the panel were Irwin Mitchell, BDB Pitmans and Norton Rose Fulbright.
