Mapeley and Nabarros in row over legal fees

One source close to Mapeley said the disagreement centred around fees for Mapeley's high-profile property outsourcing deal (Steps) with the Inland Revenue and HM Customs & Excise.
Chief executive Robin Priest said that the company's board of directors decided to appoint existing adviser Linklaters & Alliance as its principal counsel, and is poised to appoint its first in-house head of legal. The move ousts Nabarros from the role it previously shared with Linklaters.
Nabarros has not been retained on Mapeley's panel for general property work.
Priest said: "Linklaters acted for us on the Abbey National deal. Nabarros acted for us on the Steps transaction. We elected to consolidate further for various reasons," he said. "This is not a function of dissatisfaction with Nabarros. It's a function of consolidation and ease from our point of view."
Nabarros senior partner Simon Johnston declined to comment on the fallout. "We are no longer representing them. That happens," he said.