GVC agrees inaugural 11-member external legal panel

GVC Holdings has appointed its first ever external legal panel, aiming to utilise legal expertise from 11 of the UK’s largest law firms in specialist business issues.

Members of the newly inaugurated panel include international lawyers Mischon De Reya, FreshFields Bruckhaus Deringer, Wiggin, Slaughter & May and Clifford Chance.

Other firms appointed include Addleshaw Goddard, Charles Russell Speechlys, Clyde & Co, Gowling WLG, Harold Benjamin and Reed Smith.

The panel will provide advice to the operator on issues including corporate governance, gambling regulations, sponsorships, marketing and media.

Advice will also be provided on business-related issues such as M&A, finance, technology, competition and employment law.

GVC currently operates its own in-house legal team led by group legal director Michael Leadbeater, which comprises 30 employees, including 20 fully qualified lawyers.

The London-listed operator also currently works with David McLeish and Stephen Ketteley of Wiggin on issues affecting the UK market.

Speaking about the new panel, Leadbeater highlighted the thorough and detailed process used in selecting the law firms for the panel, expressing his hope that this would ultimately drive value to GVC in the long term.

“The depth and diversity of the panel reflects the group’s complex legal support requirements, and we have selected a group of firms which are ‘best in class’ in their particular key discipline areas, complementary with each other and the group’s in-house team,” Leadbeater added.

At present, the panel is appointed for a three-year term.