Barclays trialled the use of guaranteed minimum spend levels for a selection of its preferred legal suppliers ahead of its latest panel review in July, Legal Week has learned.

It is understood that a pilot scheme for litigation work for the bank, known as the Alternative Billing Model (ABM), was originally intended to run for between 18 months and two years, but was called off after just 12 months when Barclays found the arrangement would not be cost effective.