Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) has completed a review of its external advisers and created its first-ever legal panel.

The changes follow January's appointment of Simon Copleston as the bank's first general counsel.

Copleston has selected a 10-firm panel including long-standing adviser Reed Smith as well as Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Allen & Overy, Linklaters, Norton Rose, Shearman & Sterling, Clyde & Co and Middle East practice Al Tamimi & Company.

The bank previously instructed a range of firms on an ad-hoc basis.

Copleston told Legal Week: "A number of firms had worked with us before. It is a general panel but some of the firms are likely to conduct the majority of their work in particular fields."

The former Olswang partner has also built up a seven-strong legal team, known as the general counsel's office, to sit alongside the bank's existing three lawyers who specialise in debt collection work.

The new-look function includes three mid-level lawyers specialising in general finance, as well as a senior lawyer dealing with capital markets and derivatives, a corporate governance specialist, and new hire John Darby, who specialises in investment banking.

The appointment of Darby, formerly of Nomura, follows the hire of ex-Merrill Lynch lawyer Jennifer Fleming in July and former Barclays lawyer Nabil Azar, who joined in May.

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