Significant in-house announcements in May saw King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin and TLT awarded first-time spots on Sainsbury’s panel, while Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) appointed RSM Tenon’s former group general counsel (GC) Joanne Jolly to lead its insurance group.
Sainsbury’s recently concluded the third review of what it calls its ‘legal community’: a 12-strong collaborative law firm panel, which saw reappointments for Addleshaw Goddard; Bond Dickinson; CMS Cameron McKenna; Croner; Dentons; DWF; Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co; Linklaters; Shepherd and Wedderburn; and Winckworth Sherwood.
Linklaters has extended its remit for the major retailer and is now dealing with commercial work in addition to competition, the area for which it was originally instructed.
Firms that were not reappointed, having been awarded a place when Sainsbury’s last overhauled its panel in 2011, include Michael Simkins and Charles Russell, although a spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said it would continue to work with Charles Russell on ‘a bespoke basis’.
The review focused heavily on costs management and a willingness to work collaboratively with in-house teams to deliver legal services to the business. Head of legal
Nick Grant said: ‘We take this opportunity every three years to look at the quality and range of firms in the Sainsbury’s legal community to ensure the company continues to receive the best possible service.’
At LBG, meanwhile, Jolly has taken over as GC and company secretary of the insurance group from Catriona Herd, who has become regulatory and conduct risk director for the insurance group.
Barrister-trained Jolly joined RSM Tenon – which was acquired last year by Baker Tilly – in 2013, taking on the role of group GC and company secretary, having previously acted as GC of Aviva Group between March 2010 and December 2012. Prior to that, she was a reinsurance and international risk partner at Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, which merged with Clyde & Co in 2011.
At RSM Tenon, which went into administration last year, Jolly led the sale of its business to the Baker Tilly group and, according to her LinkedIn profile, ‘assisted with the integration of both firms and the legal issues arising’.