A&O and Addleshaw Goddard emerge victorious from BT review

British Telecom (BT) has concluded its review of its legal advisers, appointing Allen & Overy and Addleshaw Goddard to its preferred adviser panel for the first time.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Ashurst Morris Crisp, Denton Wilde Sapte and Lawrence Graham have all been snubbed.

BT’s longest standing advisers Linklaters and Bird & Bird have been retained, as have Wragge & Co.

Ashursts is perhaps the biggest loser. It has been the telecoms operator’s key property adviser for years.

Both Dentons and Lawrence Graham have lost out after recent instructions, while Freshfields has advised on some of BT’s most significant recent corporate deals, including the spin-off of mobile arm mm02.

Outside the UK, BT uses Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison and Shearman & Sterling in the US and Baker & McKenzie in Asia.