B&M, BLP, CMS scoop Accenture panel slots

Baker & McKenzie (B&M), Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and CMS Cameron McKenna have won lucrative places on the panel of management consultancy and technology services giant Accenture.

The lucky trio join incumbents Allen & Overy (A&O), Clifford Chance and Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW) on Accenture’s preferred supplier list, which will be reviewed again in three years’ time.

The six firms were chosen from the 16 that pitched for a share of an annual legal spend estimated to be in excess of £4m a year.

B&M, BLP and Camerons have been rewarded with official recognition after advising the company on an ad hoc basis in the past.

B&M has worked with Accenture on various jobs globally; the firm advised the company on its $175m (£95.6m) rebrand after Andersen Consulting was spun out of Arthur Andersen.

Camerons has had a role advising Accenture on a number of IT contracts with the NHS. BLP’s involvement with the company has been minimal, although legacy firm Paisner & Co advised Accenture on a number of local authority outsourcings.

The panel covers all practice areas and none of the firms have been appointed because of specific expertise in a defined area. However, FFW mainly advises the company on litigation and outsourcing deals, Clifford Chance is Accenture’s key corporate adviser and, together with A&O, has advised on some of the company’s largest commercial transactions.

Accenture declined to comment.