WINNERS

• 1st - Costanza Russo
Costanza Russo has shown maturity beyond her tender five years PQE by bagging new instructions from a string of outstanding new clients such as Calyon, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch.
Russo has worked on a string of deals across eastern and western Europe. Last year, she spent a great deal of time in Zargreb advising the government of Croatia on the financing of many of its motorways.
Russo is playing a crucial role in the development of the US firm's project finance practice in Europe. In addition to her excellent client-winning ability, her fluency in three languages has helped her play a pivotal role in integrating and cross-selling Paul Hastings' European offices - particularly the UK, France and Italy.
Russo is a real team player. She has played an integral role in setting up numerous initiatives including the launch of the Women's Affinity Group in London. If she wants it, partnership is a certainty.

• 2nd - Cathryn Moore, North Yorkshire legal services
Cathryn Moore qualified into the partnerships and procurement team at North Yorkshire council in 2006, where bosses describe her as having been “central” to projects including the creation of NYnet, a council-owned company charged with both providing a communications network to the county’s businesses and public sector bodies and delivering broadband to its remote rural communities. “Hard working, resourceful and proactive,” Moore was instrumental in the procurement of a major ICT contract for the scheme with BT and in the subsequent drafting, negotiation and completion of service arrangements with public sector clients and private sector service providers.

• 3rd - Jessamy Gallagher, Linklaters
Being able to build client relationships is a key skill and one which Jessamy Gallagher has in abundance. Rio Tinto, Sainsbury’s and BAE Systems are just a few of the FTSE 100 clients this corporate associate has cemented relationships with. Now her focus has turned to UBS and Macquarie as Linklaters use their secret weapon to entrench its connections with these companies.
Gallagher has also proved she has the qualities to make it to the magic circle’s partnership. She took the lead for Linklaters on the £595m (£304m) acquisition of Scotch distillers Whyte & Mackay Group by United Spirits Limited.

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Assistant Solicitor of the Year is open to qualified lawyers in private practice who are not partners. They must be working in the UK.

Judges will be looking for evidence of:

• Business building / entrepreneurship
• Technical legal skills
• Commitment to both the firm and clients over and above billable hours

Entries welcome from:
Private practice teams	√
Nominations by in-house teams	√

Previous Winners:
2007	Hazel Donaldson, Mishcon de Reya
2006	Thomas Ince, Reed Smith
2005	Jim Leason, Kemp Little LLP
2004	Mohammed Paracha, Norton Rose
2003	Simon Norris, Cadwalalder Wickersham & Taft