Dentons loses out on English Partnerships panel

Denton Wilde Sapte has lost its place on the English Partnerships panel after an exhaustive eight-month review.
The firm was one of the regeneration agency’s original five-firm panel, but was dropped from the new list of 11 advisers announced last week.
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), Eversheds, Nabarro Nathanson and Pinsent Masons have all retained their places. New appointments come for Dickinson Dees, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, Cheshire firm Forshaws and Hammonds, joining Eversheds and Pinsent Masons as advisers in the north. The latter two firms are joined by Hewitsons in eastern England and Milton Keynes.
Meanwhile the London region will be covered by Addleshaw Goddard, Hammonds and Norton Rose, together with BLP, Eversheds and Nabarro Nathanson.
English Partnerships head of legal Judith Roberts said the review process had begun with advertisements that attracted an "overwhelming" 140 responses. The applicants were whittled down to 40 for interview, from which the 11 successful firms were chosen.
Roberts said that Dentons had been a longstanding adviser for the agency, but that competition for the panel was fierce.
Of the firms selected, Roberts said: "They have all demonstrated a willingness and an ability to work with us.They had good ideas and the chemistry was right."
The panel will handle heavyweight property work, including regeneration projects. Contracts will run for a fixed four years with no option to extend.