The U.K. government is in the early stages of reviewing its multi-million pound rail legal services panel, according to a spokesperson for the Crown Commercial Service (CCS).

The panel, which was formed in 2017, was set to run for three years with the option to extend for a further year until early 2021.

The CCS spokesperson confirmed that the government has opted to extend the panel contract by a year, but that the department has already started drawing up plans for a refresh.

The current panel consists of eight firms: Linklaters, Norton Rose Fulbright, Osborne Clarke, Stephenson Harwood, Addleshaw Goddard, Ashurst, DLA Piper and Eversheds Sutherland.

In 2017, the panel was valued at £50 million and covers specific legal advice for rail services, in particular rail franchising. Prior to this, rail legal services was handled by the government's general legal services panel, which has since been restructured.

Last week, Norton Rose Fulbright won a two-year mandate to provide legal advice to the Department for Transport (DfT) on its role as Network Rail's sole shareholder.

The rail legal services panel is not the only one set to go out to tender. In October, the U.K. Cabinet Office unveiled plans for a new £70 million legal panel to assist the government with international trade negotiations, disputes and compliance after Brexit.