The Lawyer launched its first-ever HR Awards in 2006 to celebrate excellence in the effective deployment of HR strategy in the legal world – an issue underpinning some of the biggest stories of the last two years.

The issue continues to dominate law firms’ and in-house legal teams’ agendas as the battle to recruit and retain staff intensifies.

The categories are varied, covering the full range of HR activity, from trainee recruitment to effective retention.

There were weeks of sifting through the submissions, culminating in a judging day earlier this month.

The Lawyer editor Catrin Griffiths co-chaired the judging panel with YouGov Consulting managing director Andy Brown.

The other judges were Vernon Bryce, the head of HR consultancy Kenexa; Charles Cotton, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development(CIPD) adviser at Reward CIPD; Debi O’Donovan, editorial director of Employee Benefits; and Martin Finn, the managing director of education consultancy EdComms.

Best Graduate Trainee Recruitment Campaign
Berwin Leighton Paisner
Browne Jacobson
DLA Piper
DMH Stallard
Nabarro
Weil Gotshal & Manges

Best Branding Campaign
Burges Salmon
Linklaters
Lovells
Olswang
SJ Berwin

Most Effective Employee Benefits Scheme
Allen & Overy
DLA Piper
Hammonds
Reynolds Porter Chamberlain
Simmons & Simmons

Best Recruitment Website
Addleshaw Goddard
Ashurst
Hammonds
Lovells
Olswang
Shoosmiths

Innovation in Talent Management and Retention
Allen & Overy
Ashurst
Berwin Leighton Paisner
Lovells
Mishcon de Reya
White & Case

Most Effective Internal Communications
Addleshaw Goddard
Baker & McKenzie
Berwin Leighton Paisner
Lovells

Best International Recruitment Initiative
DLA Piper
Lovells
White & Case

Most Effective Diversity Programme
Allen & Overy
Bevan Brittan
Lovells
Norton Rose
Pinsent Masons
Shoosmiths

Award for Excellence in Training
Ashurst
Berwin Leighton Paisner
Eversheds
Greenwoods Solicitors
Lovells
Stephenson Harwood

Most Innovative Recruitment Initiative
Addleshaw Goddard
Berwin Leighton Paisner
Lovells
Nabarro

HR Director of the Year
Berwin Leighton Paisner
Linklaters
Lovells
Pinsent Masons