(a) According to the National Arts Council (NAC), the law firm was chosen from the legal panel, which has already been appointed by NAC to deal with PESP matters in 2021.
Legal firms are used on a rotational basis for other legal matters of NAC. It was not cost efficient to rotate legal firms with PESP matters. PESP matters were numerous and complex. The firm had to be retained for continuity purposes in dealing with PESP issues.
(b) The firm was appointed by management