...as rival Eversheds joins RDA panel

Eversheds has been appointed to the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) legal panel following a competitive tender.

The legal panel will be instructed to provide practical advice and guidance to the EMDA. The contract will be for two years.

Brandon Smith-Hilliard, a partner at Eversheds' Nottingham office, says: "The legal advice sought from the regional development agencies (RDAs) is in relation to property, corporate activities, investing into regions and the performance of regions."

Smith-Hilliard thinks a legal panel will comprise no more than three or four firms.

He adds: "Some RDAs have not tendered out the work yet."

Chris Hinze, spokesman at Nabarro Nathanson which won the tender for the South East Development Agency, says: "The type of work is very interesting and requires a breadth of skills, for example, public and private partnerships and capital raising."

Commenting on Nabarros' appointment, Hinze adds: "It is difficult to estimate the amount of fees as it is not known how much work will be involved at this stage."