A dispute between the developers of the Olympic 2012 site looks set to gift Herbert Smith a leading role in advising long-term client London & Continental Railways (LCR) on negotiations over the future of the project.

Herbert Smith is understood to be advising on the dispute, which has arisen over the development of Stratford City, a £4bn metropolitan centre for East London to be built on a 180-acre site owned by LCR, the company developing the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.