Slaughter and May has won a major contract tender valued at £800,000, to provide legal services to the Department of Transport over potential legal action arising from Brexit.

It brings the government tenders won by Slaughters within the past six months to just under £1m in total value.  A £131,000 contract for legal advice on a Liverpool-based investment in electric vehicle charging was awarded last October.

The latest contract – awarded yesterday ( 4 February) – is to provide  "advice and assistance to the Department for Transport on the Cross Channel Rail Services".

The BBC has reported that this contract relates to pre-emptive legal advice ahead of expected legal action launched by Eurotunnel – now called Getlink – as "their business may be disturbed or interfered with" by Brexit uncertainty.

Slaughters has a longstanding relationship with the UK Government, with recent energy and infrastructure mandates including advising on the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant project.

During the past few months, the government has awarded contracts for legal advice to a range of City firms, including a £250,000 DfT contract to Fieldfisher for provision of legal advice for the Great Western New Trains and Change Project.

The Department of Transport did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A Slaughters spokesperson said: "We do not comment on advice provided in confidence to clients."