Hitachi Rail Europe Selects Six Law Firms as Formal Legal Panel

London, 10th December, 2014 – Hitachi Rail Europe announced today that it has selected six firms to form its first legal panel for an initial period of two years. Following a competitive tender process, the panel comprises: Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Ashurst LLP, DLA Piper UK LLP, Eversheds LLP, Shoosmiths LLP and Stephenson Harwood LLP.

With a rapidly growing business and a diverse range of legal needs, Hitachi Rail Europe identified it was more important than ever to ensure proactive legal resourcing. It was also vital to place the legal function at the heart of the organisation, proactively encouraging efficiency, legal governance and compliance.

The panel’s point of contact at Hitachi Rail Europe is Rachel Crosier. Rachel joined Hitachi Rail Europe as Legal Counsel in July 2014. Supporting all areas of the Hitachi Rail business, she is involved in the daily work of all departments including procurement, marketing, sales, commercial, projects, HR and technical. Rachel is also responsible for governance and compliance at Hitachi Rail Europe.

Andy Barr, Chief Operating Officer at Hitachi Rail Europe, says: “A key aim of the panel is to promote trusted and mutually beneficial relationships with the selected panel firms and nurture those relationships over time. All six panel firms demonstrated a willingness to collaborate and work as an external extension of Hitachi Rail Europe’s in-house legal function. The panel takes a medium to long term view of external legal services, rather than purely reacting to legal requirements as they arise.”

Rachel Crosier, Legal Counsel, Hitachi Rail Europe said: “I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the law firms involved in the process. We are very much looking forward to working even more closely with our legal partners, and hope that they find the panel of equal benefit.”

Hitachi Rail Europe hopes that the collaboration will result in a panel that truly understands Hitachi Rail Europe’s business and the industry it operates within, granting the business the flexibility to outsource work quickly and achieve greater productivity.

Hitachi Rail Europe wants to adopt an inclusive approach to the commissioning of legal services and believes that its staff will also benefit from this arrangement. Training from the panel to the business is intended to develop everyone’s commercial and legal astuteness, with the aim of breaking down “legal issue” barriers, so the entire business has the ability to recognise and address common problems as “business issues”.

Paul Hirst, Partner and Head of Transport, Addleshaw Goddard LLP said: "Hitachi Rail Europe are ambitious with great products and delivery record. Securing the Scotrail order for its new AT200 train following on from Intercity Express and the imminent completion of its new UK factory in Newton Aycliffe puts them in a strong position to expand in the UK and abroad. It is a great fit with our strategy to be a market leading advisor in the rail sector and we are delighted to be working alongside them. We pride ourselves on our approach to building strong client relationships and we look forward to adding value, providing support and working collaboratively with Rachel and the business."

Naomi Horton, Partner and Rail Specialist, Ashurst said: "Having been appointed as a member of the prestigious Hitachi Rail Europe Legal Panel, Ashurst are very much looking forward to building on our existing successful relationship with Hitachi. We see our role as a valuable extension to the in-house legal team, driving value and benefit for Hitachi. Ashurst have worked on a number of high profile projects with Hitachi, most recently on the second phase financing of the Intercity Express Project, on which we also worked closely with fellow Panel firms DLA Piper and Shoosmiths. We are pleased that our expertise in the rail sector has been recognised and are keen to collaborate further with Hitachi and the other panel firms to benefit Hitachi's growing European business."

Colin Wilson, partner and Head of the UK Projects team at DLA Piper, said: "We have been working with Hitachi Rail Europe for a number of years advising them, as part of the Agility Trains consortium, on both phases of the Intercity Express Programme. We are absolutely delighted to have been appointed to its first legal panel and very much look forward to continuing our relationship with them through the next exciting chapter in the development of their business."

Mark Brunton, Partner and Rail Specialist, Eversheds LLP said: “Eversheds is delighted to be appointed to the new legal panel and we look forward to working closely with Hitachi Rail Europe and the other appointed firms to implement Hitachi Rail Europe’s vision for the provision of legal services in a collaborative way that delivers real value to the business.”

Chris McClure, Head of Transport and Infrastructure Group, Shoosmiths LLP said: “Having worked with Hitachi Rail Europe on a number of high-value and complex deals since 2009, we are delighted to have been chosen as a member of their first legal panel. The growth of their business over the last few years has been tremendous. It is great for us that we have been a part of that. We welcome the opportunity to work with Hitachi Rail Europe and the other chosen panel firms over the next few years to help Hitachi Rail Europe deliver on their future growth plans and to deepen our understanding of their business."

Jonathan Cripps, Partner, Projects and Infrastructure, Stephenson Harwood said: “This is clearly an exciting time for Hitachi Rail Europe, with the recent move of the global rail business to London, and like the other firms appointed we fully support the company’s objectives in creating its first legal panel. We are looking forward to working closely, both with Rachel and her team and our fellow panel firms, in developing a proactive and supportive relationship."