GLD Vacancies

High speed rail operator names four firms to multi-million pound legal services framework

HS1, which has the 30-year concession to own and operate High Speed 1, the UK’s first section of high speed rail, has appointed four firms to a legal services framework.

The framework has been divided into the following eight lots:

  1. General Commercial Legal Services.
  2. Employment Law and Pensions.
  3. Property and Leases.
  4. Corporate Finance and Tax.
  5. Regulatory Advisory Services.
  6. Construction Law Advisory Services.
  7. Litigation Advisory Services.
  8. General Corporate and Company Secretarial.

The successful firms were:

  • Addleshaw Goddard (6).
  • DLA Piper (2, 3).
  • Herbert Smith Freehills (1, 5, 7).
  • Linklaters (4, 8).

Estimated to be worth £15m, the framework is expected to last up to seven years (an initial five years plus two 12-month extensions).

The contract was awarded on the basis of quality/technical (weighting: 55%), quality/commercial (20%) and price (25%).

HS1 also operates the stations along the route: St Pancras International, Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International.