O2 slashes panel to two firms as GC quits
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Mobile phone company O2 has completed a radical overhaul of its legal function that has seen general counsel Justine Campbell leave the company and Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith appointed as sole advisers in Europe.
Many former panel firms, including Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Olswang, and SJ Berwin, missed out in the wide-ranging panel review, which completed last month.
Herbert Smith, together with its European ally Gleiss Lutz, and Clifford Chance will cover all legal advice for O2 in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Meanwhile Telefonica Europe general counsel Justine Campbell, who oversaw the review, is expected to step down at the end of the year.
Her role will be phased out when she leaves the company, with responsibilities shared between the UK and Madrid.
Campbell took over as O2 general counsel from Philip Bramwell in 2006, following Spanish telco Telefonica’s takeover of the company. Campbell became Telefonica Europe general counsel after a restructuring of the merged company’s business.
It is understood that Campbell is yet to decide on her next move.
