Eversheds is surprise entry as Axa reveals global panel

AXA has unveiled its full 14-member global legal panel, but will continue to work with a number of other firms in local jurisdictions.

As first reported by The Lawyer (23 October), Eversheds was the surprise inclusion on the insurance giant's first global legal panel, while City insurance boutique Kendall Freeman has also found a place.

The panel includes US firms Debevoise & Plimpton, insurance specialist LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae and Sullivan & Cromwell.

Surprisingly, the Paris-headquartered company has included just one French firm, Gide Loyrette Nouel, on its global panel.

UK-based firms make up the bulk of the panel, with Clifford Chance, Clyde & Co, Holman Fenwick & Willan, Linklaters, Lovells, Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw, Norton Rose and Simmons and Simmons all securing places.

UK general counsel Ed Davies told The Lawyer: "There will be a number of other firms we'll continue to work with in jurisdiction-specific areas. This panel has not tried to cover all the local needs of every territory we operate in.

"These are all firms we've had a relationship with to date and have worked with on corporate matters or complex claims, and they're all firms that can work on a multijurisdictional basis for us."

Firms to miss out include Latham & Watkins and Shearman & Sterling, both of which had advised the insurer in France and acted for Axa's private equity group.

The selection process had taken Axa more than nine months to complete and was led by Paris-based global general counsel George Stansfield.

The firms stand to benefit from corporate mandates as well as insurance work, with Axa actively pursuing investment opportunities through Axa Private Equity.