Heathrow Airport has overhauled its legal panel structure and slimmed its line-up of firms in its latest review, with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Allen & Overy securing places. 

The company has awarded places to seven firms on its new general approved list, which replaces a roster of nine firms across 11 sub-panels. 

Herbert Smith Freehills, Blake Lapthorn (now Blake Morgan), Brodies and Morton Fraser were all previously on the panel but have not been appointed this time round.

The magic circle firms were reappointed alongside Pinsent Masons following a review undertaken by general counsel and chief of staff Carol Hui. The panel terms will run for three years, effective from 1 January 2019.

Legacy firms Berwin Leighton Paisner and Eversheds had previously been on the line-up and have also won places as their respective merged outfits, BCLP and Eversheds Sutherland.

City firm Towerhouse and Thames Valley outfit Owen White have also been appointed to provide specialist advice in regulation and property. All other firms on the panel will provide full-service advice.

The panel operates separately from the line-up appointed to deal solely with issues surrounding the airport's third runway, with legacy BLP and Pinsent Masons appointed to that roster.

Hui said the firms had been chosen for their "strength and breadth of experience".

In a related move, BCLP senior associate Daniel Freiman has been appointed to oversee the legal aspects of Heathrow's third runway. He previously started at the airport on an interim basis last October as head of legal for expansion. He replaces Anita Kasseean, who left to join Howard Kennedy as head of planning and environment in 2018.

Hui's remit was expanded to include chief of staff in 2017 after eight years as general counsel at the company. The new role made Hui additionally responsible for the internal and external communication functions. She also works on the sustainability aspects of the airport, on issues such as air quality and climate change.