NABARRO Nathanson has been rejected by projects client Doncaster Metropolitan Council, which overlooked the firm in the tender for its extended legal panel. Addleshaw Goddard, Beachcroft Wansbroughs and Dickinson Dees were all successful in the beauty parade.

Nabarros continues to act for the council on some existing projects, but its pitch was unsuccessful in the two-month tender exercise involving 16 firms.

The three successful firms join existing advisers DLA and Irwin Mitchell, which were reappointed. The panel will advise the council on public-to-private partnerships and private finance initiatives, as well as general legal issues such as human resources.

A spokesperson said the council decided to expand its roster of advisers because it is expecting an increased workload. “It’s really an issue of capacity. [Our] aspiration is to deliver high-value projects, therefore we needed to go beyond the two firms,” he said.

He added that although there was sufficient work for each of the panel firms, on larger projects the council may ask the panel to participate in mini-pitches.

The tender exercise was handled by specialist procurement firm First Law, which prepared the pitch documents for Doncaster. The council spokesperson said that the process ran smoothly and was completed very quickly.
Nabarros declined to comment.