E.ON, one of the UK's leading energy providers, has appointed a new UK legal panel of three firms following a competitive tender process.

Pinsent Masons – which has been E.ON's principal UK legal advisor since 2013 – will continue to work with E.ON alongside newcomers DLA Piper and Shakespeare Martineau.

From January 2024, the three firms are collaborating under a comprehensive five-year agreement, offering the full range of specialist legal services required by E.ON as it continues to drive forward its UK business.

E.ON UK's general counsel Kirin Kalsi said:

"We are looking forward to working with all three firms on our panel over the next five years. We have ambitious growth plans in line with our purpose of supporting the energy transition and having three strong firms supporting us in doing so will ensure we are able to deliver solutions in our customers' best interests.

"The excellent collaboration during the implementation phase has already resulted in a common online portal for all instructions with the ease of tracking spend, feedback and trends, and we are looking forward to the ease and certainty our continued innovative fixed pricing arrangements will bring; all in all, for the benefit of the teams involved, our business objectives and our customers."

With more than five million customers in the UK across residential, SME and industrial & commercial markets, E.ON plays a significant role in serving the nation's energy needs. Employing more than 9,000 people across Britain, the company is dedicated to making energy simpler, smarter and more sustainable by delivering innovative solutions, products and services tailored to customer needs.

Laura Ayre, commercial partner at Pinsent Masons, said:

"Our teams have really enjoyed working with E.ON over the past decade and we are delighted to have the opportunity to continue developing our long-standing relationship with its strong legal team and business colleagues.

"The ever-evolving regulatory and reputational challenges facing the energy sector present some exciting opportunities for an energy transition leader like E.ON and we are very keen to continue as a trusted advisor, supporting the business with its ambitious growth plan.

"We are looking forward to working collaboratively with both Shakespeare Martineau and DLA Piper to help drive efficiency and innovation for the benefit of the E.ON business and its customers."

Andrew Whitehead, partner and head of energy at Shakespeare Martineau, added:

"We are delighted to have been appointed to E.ON's new legal panel. With our headquarters in Birmingham, and E.ON up the road in Coventry, we have had a strategic ambition for some time now to work with E.ON as one of the country's leading energy companies on our doorstep. This opportunity now to support Kirin and her team in helping E.ON achieve its ambitious plans, working alongside Laura and Andreas and their respective teams, is an exciting prospect.

"Panel appointments such as this one are a testament to the quality of our people, and our commitment to supporting our clients, especially those in the energy sector, as they grapple with the challenges and opportunities presented by the net zero transition."

Andreas Gunst, partner at DLA Piper, said:

"It is a privilege for DLA Piper to have been appointed to E.ON's new legal panel, and we are excited to build on our existing relationship with E.ON over the course of the next five years. There are clear synergies between our full-service energy transition practice and the services which E.ON needs from its partners as it works to achieve its strategic objectives and ambitions. We look forward to working closely with the E.ON team and the other panel law firms to provide seamless counsel and business advice to all areas of the business."