Ftse 100 drinks and restaurant giant Allied Domecq has made a number of high level in-house promotions as it confirms bringing in Clifford Chance (CC) for the first time in a major instruction.

Marcos Tarancon, currently based in Spain, has been appointed as general counsel Europe and will relocate to the company's Bristol office. Marta Garcia Alba, who has been appointed assistant general counsel Europe, will assist him.

The shake-up also sees Maria Reay appointed as deputy group general counsel. Reay's main responsibility will be to advise The Wine Alliance, Allied Domecq's global wine division.

The promotions are the first main appointments made by general counsel Leonard Quaranto since he joined the company in August 2001 from US home care giant Kimberly-Clark.

The appointments come as the company confirmed that it has added CC to its list of approved advisers after instructing the firm on a corporate deal in September.

Historically Allied Domecq's main corporate adviser has been Linklaters. It also instructs Ashurst Morris Crisp, Bevan Ashford, Osborne Clarke and Maclay Murray & Spens.

Allied Domecq, which has a legal function of 35 lawyers plus paralegals, has made a number of acquisitions in recent years making it the second-largest spirits company in the world.