The Lawyer Awards, in association with Travelers, 2016: What innovation looks like
What are winners made of? The Lawyer Awards 2016 cohort proves that private practice and in-house teams can achieve the impossible, implement innovation and fulfill the role of perfect advisers regardless of their size.
For the first time, The Lawyer has dedicated an entire issue to this year’s winners, conducting interviews and gathering data about the teams that are trailblazing and the standout deals that granted them their top accolades. The case studies also include quotes from The Lawyer Awards judges.
Inside these pages are strategy profiles with top organisational award-winners including Law Firm of the Year Clyde & Co or International Firm of the Year Gibson Dunn & Crutcher. There are also sections for in-house teams, transactional teams, the bar and special awards to Barrister of the Year Ben Emmerson QC of Matrix Chambers and In-house Lawyer of the Year Ingrid Cope, from Pernod Ricard.
Many of the award-winners have worked on monumental cross-border deals or long-term restructurings that have only just borne fruit.
But there is also a profile of Pro Bono Initiative of the Year winner Avon & Bristol Law Centre, with a project powered by students and directly impacting over 200 local clients who were vulnerable due to cuts to legal aid.
The ‘David and Goliath’ style court battles warred by Powell Gilbert gained the firm IP team of the year, while the Spire Healthcare in-house team successfully implemented change within their business in an atmosphere of high-powered complex regulation – while doing their day-to-day job.
