Transport for London (TfL) has launched a review of its 11-strong legal panel.

The company has issued tender documents for the process and firms can apply for eight lots: employment, major commercial, rail industry specialists, routine commercial and real estate, housing, complex property and commercial development, highways and major consent, and town and country planning.

The new panel is valued at an estimated £86m and will run for a minimum of four years, with the option to extend it by an additional two years.

The application process will open on 14 December and firms have until 18 January to tender.

TFL legal director Andrea Clarke said: "We have commenced a procurement process for the appointment of a new panel for external law firms. TfL's legal department undertakes a significant amount of legal work in-house but we need to use external firms for certain complex or high-volume routine matters."

The company last reviewed its panel in 2012, when it reduced the line up by one. SNR Denton, Trowers & Hamlins and Lewis Silkin were added to the line-up, alongside Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Ashurst, Berwin Leighton Paisner, Eversheds, Wragge & Co, Herbert Smith Freehills, K&L Gates and Simmons & Simmons.

The last panel term was originally set for four years, but was extended in 2016 for an additional two years.