Energy giant United Utilities merges in-house teams in legal restructuring
United Utilities general counsel Tom Keevil has overhauled the energy giant's legal function and made a number of senior internal appointments within the team. As part of the revamp Keevil has merged the FTSE 100 company's distinct regulatory and non-regulatory legal teams into a single unit, with four teams put in place to deal with commercial, litigation, property and environmental matters.
July 24, 2008 at 01:33 AM
2 minute read
United Utilities general counsel Tom Keevil (pictured) has overhauled the energy giant's legal function and made a number of senior internal appointments within the team.
As part of the revamp Keevil has merged the FTSE 100 company's distinct regulatory and non-regulatory legal teams into a single unit, with four teams put in place to deal with commercial, litigation, property and environmental matters.
He has also made a series of key appointments within the group, which comprises 60 lawyers globally. Simon Gardiner has been appointed to the newly-created role of head of legal and David Hosker has been appointed to another new post as senior counsel. Meanwhile, Jane Gilmore has taken up the existing role of deputy company secretary, leading a five-strong team dealing with corporate governance issues. All three lawyers are based in the UK.
The restructuring, which has been carried out since Keevil joined United Utilities in January, has not involved a review of the company's external legal advisers, which include Slaughter and May, Pinsent Masons, Eversheds and Hill Dickinson.
Keevil told Legal Week: "I announced the initial changes within four weeks and the new structure was in place some 12 weeks after my arrival and has now bedded into a permanent structure that the team seems to enjoy. We operate like a medium-sized law firm, with special skills sets."
He added: "We have a mantra in the department: legal means business. We seek to ensure that the company always operates within the law and regulation boundaries while delivering on our promises to our internal and external customers."
Keevil said that the new set-up would allow the company to keep as much work in-house as possible. Around 75% of United Utilities' legal work is now conducted internally, with specific tasks sent to outside counsel.
Before joining United Utilities, Keevil was general counsel of tobacco group Gallaher, where he led a review of the company's external advisers.
Prior to joining Gallaher, he spent 10 years as a partner with the litigation department of Simmons & Simmons.
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