Birmingham City Council is set to shuffle its legal advisers with a panel review set to start next month.

The review will be led by director of governance Mirza Ahmed, who will invite firms to apply for contracts beginning in September 2009.

On completion of the review, the panel will also be made available for the use of other local councils within the region.

Birmingham City Council currently instructs 21 firms, including Wragge & Co, Eversheds, DLA Piper and Bevan Brittan. It is understood that the organisation's annual legal spend is in the region of £5m.

The council's decision to launch a review of its firms comes after fellow government organisations the Metropolitan Police and the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) revamped their panels earlier this year.

The Met completed a review of its advisers in July with 13 firms securing places on the panel, including Eversheds, Burges Salmon and Blake Lapthorn.

NHS PASA added Eversheds to its panel earlier this month, with the firm working with the Department of Health agency for the next four years. Eversheds join Mills & Reeve on the panel with the latter the sole provider the first time round.