BT has pushed back a long-awaited review of its global legal panel in a move that extends the terms of existing panel firms by 12 months.

Advisers had been gearing up for BT's first review under general counsel Dan Fitz, who replaced former group GC Anne Fletcher in April 2010; however, they were recently told the roster had been extended until March 2013.

The telecoms giant last reviewed its legal panel in 2009 when CMS Cameron McKenna won a first-time spot alongside Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Bird & Bird. The trio were selected to advise the company primarily on corporate, commercial and antitrust/regulatory matters. BT runs separate panels for real estate, litigation and employment work.

Fitz was tasked with assessing whether the company was getting value for money from its internal and external legal spend when he took up the GC post and told Legal Week in October last year that he was reviewing the operation of the panel.

At that time he said his focus would be on forming a collaborative relationship with preferred advisers rather than focusing primarily on cutting costs, as BT had in the 2009 review, which saw around 50 firms pitching for work.

A partner at a major City law firm unsuccessful in the 2009 tender round said: "We were involved in the online tender process three years ago and didn't make it because we couldn't offer the rates that BT wanted. We hope to be appointed next time around as there is a new 
general counsel."