As part of its latest UK panel review, Mercedes Benz made it a requirement that law firms justify their expenses on a regular basis, The Lawyer reported.

"We now have a very tight [billing] process," Mercedes general counsel Iain Larkins said. "When a new job comes along we agree a fee - it's all documented and we review on a monthly basis, or earlier. There's a whole budget amendment process which advisers must justify."

UK firms Nabarro and Wragge & Co won the two places on the panel from a pool of 11 firms.

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