Sema holds parade after panel cut

Anglo-French IT & business services giant Sema Group is considering 35 law firms in a beauty parade likely to result in just one lucrative appointment.

The Lawyer understands Sema's legal team is drawing up a shortlist of between six and eight firms, scheduled to be completed on 22 November.

FTSE 100 company Sema is slashing its UK legal panel from 15 to just one or two, as revealed by The Lawyer (13 September).

Nabarro Nathanson is Sema's principal law firm, although the company also uses Clifford Chance and Lovell White Durrant.

The Lawyer understands Sema's priority is to find an IT proficient firm which can handle the needs of Sema in the UK, Europe and worldwide.

The firm will also need to handle employment law, pensions and property and deal with the commercial aspects of Sema, which has more than 17,000 employees worldwide.