Pictured above: Janet James
Stratford-on Avon law firm Needham & James, part of Midlands
based Shakespeare Putsman LLP, has been appointed to the National
Grid UK Legal Panel following a complex and rigorous three-month
procurement process.
The three-year Panel arrangement marks Needham & James
continued appointment on the panel in its practice area of
Property, which is led by Janet James a Partner in the firms
Commercial Property team.
National Grid has revised its UK Legal Panel this year resulting
in a 25 percent reduction in the firms engaged by the
organisation.
The appointment of all sixteen firms to the Panel follows a
rigorous review and tender process conducted by National Grid's
Legal and Procurement teams together with an external consultant,
to form a 'flexible, professional and innovative panel with
competitive rate cards', according to National Grid.
National Grid has sought to introduce a range of innovative
billing solutions under the new arrangements, which deliver
increased efficiencies for the organisation.
The new Panel arrangements take effect from the 1st April 2011.
Needham & James and other panel firms will report to National
Grid Group Company Secretary & General Counsel, Helen Mahy, who
said: "The appointment of this new Panel following an extensive and
rigorous selection process reinforces National Grid's key
requirement for high quality, cost effective and innovative law
firms to support our own professional in-house team."
Needham & James' Janet James added: "The team are enormously
proud of our long standing relationship with National Grid and we
are delighted to have been re-appointed to the UK Panel for a
further three year tenure and are very much looking forward to
continuing our close working relationship. The hard work and
commitment of the team throughout the rigorous procurement process
was key to our success."