The Crown Estate has kicked off a review of the legal advisers for its prestigious Regent Street and St James's property portfolios, in a move that could see the two panels combined.

The review is being led by general counsel Rob Booth – who took over from Vivienne King in January this year – with a small number of law firms invited to pitch.

The organisation, which manages property owned by the monarchy, currently reviews each portfolio every five years, but a spokesperson said that a move to combine the two panels was now under consideration.

The last Regent Street review, which took place in 2012, saw Hogan Lovells appointed to handle contentious work alongside legacy SJ Berwin – now King & Wood Mallesons. SJ Berwin had been the sole adviser for the Regent Street portfolio since 2006.

Meanwhile, the St James's panel was last reviewed in 2011 as part of a wider review of the Crown's urban portfolio, with legacy Lawrence Graham – now Gowling WLG – and Burges Salmon winning roles.

Booth is also expected to review the Crown Estate's advisers for its offshore energy and infrastructure work later this financial year. This work is currently handled by Norton Rose Fulbright and Bond Dickinson, which were appointed in summer 2013.

The Crown Estate also operates a rural and coastal portfolio and Windsor estate legal panel, to which Burges Salmon and Bond Dickinson were appointed in 2014. Burges Salmon advises on the estate's rural assets and the Windsor estate, while Bond Dickinson has responsibility for coastal holdings.

Prior to its appointment on the Regent Street panel, in 2011 Hogan Lovells was also appointed as the Crown Estate's main litigation adviser on all non-routine matters – the first time the organisation had appointed a firm to advise specifically on large-scale litigation cases across all of its property portfolios.