DLA Piper has joined a host of City firms advising on the long-running Crossrail project, having secured a £500,000 contract to advise the Department for Transport. 

A document seen by Legal Week shows a contract value of half a million pounds to provide legal advice on the £15 billion project, in a three-year agreement that will run from April 1 of this year to March 31, 2022.

Crossrail's current legal panel comprises City rivals Ashurst and Eversheds Sutherland, as well as BDB Pitmans, Cripps, Gowling WLG, Herbert Smith Freehills, OAH Law and Winckworth Sherwood.

Ashurst and Eversheds have advised on the project since its inception in 2008, having been appointed to Crossrail's first legal panel; DLA's £500,000 fee is dwarfed by sums already paid out to to the City duo.

In 2015, Legal Week reported that Ashurst stood to pocket £9.5 million in a five-year deal, while Eversheds took home £3.5 million.

Ashurst's mandates have included advising Crossrail and its owner Transport for London (TfL) on the procurement of £1 billion of rolling stock from train manufacturer Bombardier, with energy, transport and infrastructure partners Mark Elsey and Terry van Poortvliet leading.

In December, TfL launched its first panel review in nearly six years. Ashurst and Eversheds both sit on this roster too, alongside BCLP, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Gowling WLG, Herbert Smith Freehills, K&L Gates, Lewis Silkin, Simmons & Simmons, Dentons and Trowers & Hamlins.

TfL generally turns to Eversheds Sutherland, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith Freehills and K&L Gates for its major commercial disputes.

DLA Piper declined to comment.

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