Lovells and Eversheds have won panel roles as financial services group LV= finalises its first official roster of external legal advisors.

The insurance, investments and pensions group, formerly known as Liverpool Victoria, launched a review earlier this year aimed at selecting a smaller group of firms to offer specialist and general advice.

Lovells and Eversheds have been chosen to advise on corporate and finance matters and will sit alongside employment boutique Dermot Scully on the specialist panel.

Meanwhile, Irwin Mitchell, Pinsent Masons and Bond Pearce have all landed roles on a generalist panel, and will advise on other matters.

Rachel Small, acting group head of legal at LV=, commented: "The nature and breadth of group legal work has seen significant developments over the past 12 months or so and our in-house team has grown to accommodate it.

"It was therefore appropriate to review, consolidate and formally appoint external advisers to meet the expanded transactional and ongoing legal support requirements and to work closely alongside our in-house legal team."

Firms that LV= has previously used include Wragge & Co, which in 2004 won a role advising on a 13-year £110m outsourcing contract for the company's administration service.

LV= subsidiary Liverpool Victoria Asset Management last month (12 February) appointed LG as its sole legal advisor on property matters for a three-year term.

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