Welcome to The Lawyer Hot 100

It's not the winning that counts, it's the taking part - or so the saying goes. But The Lawyer Hot 100 manages to mix both: by recognising the parts played by the eclectic mix of practitioners contained within these pages, winning is a given.

The Hot 100 celebrates names in all areas of the profession: campaigners, assistants, in-house counsel, lawyers integral to London's successful Olympic bid, public sector, corporate, the bar, management, finance, real estate and projects.

The Lawyer is second-to-none with its insight into those individuals who are making things happen in the legal world - and The Hot 100 is a celebration of these people who have enhanced the reputations of the law firms, chambers, organisations or companies for which they ply their trade.

Many of the names you will already know, and we guarantee that if there's any you haven't heard of, you soon will. Remember - you heard it here first.

Congratulations to everyone who makes up this year's Hot 100.

Cat Griffiths & Matt Byrne