The Lawyer European Awards 2023: The Winners

It was the turn of Nordic law firm Roschier to claim the crown as the Continent’s outstanding law firm last night at The Lawyer’s annual European Awards ceremony.

The firm won the prize at London’s Grosvenor House hotel on Park Lane, as the elite of European legal talent came together in celebration.

The Helsinki-headquartered law firm, which was also named Law firm of the Year – Northern Europe impressed the judges with its clear strategy, impressive geographic expansion and excellent client service, all of which earned it the title of European Law Firm of the Year.

This year, 27 awards were handed out over the course of the evening. Winners were named in a range of categories focused on particular jurisdictions, practice groups, initiatives as well as individual awards for the year’s outstanding general counsel or managing partner.

UBS general counsel Barbara Levi walked away with the European General Counsel of the Year award for her outstanding leadership in one of 2023’s most high-profile deals, which saw the bank acquire Credit Suisse, while Abreu Advogados’ Inês Sequeira Mendes was named European Managing Partner of the Year after spearheading the aspirational Portuguese law firm’s transformation in recent years.

A full list of all the winners, as well as those individuals and firms who were commended or shortlisted, can be found below.

Law Firm of the Year – Benelux

WINNER
Loyens & Loeff

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Arendt & Medernach

COMMENDED
AKD

SHORTLISTED
GSK Stockmann
Lydian
Srelia
Vandenbulke

Law Firm of the Year – France

WINNER
Latham & Watkins

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Jeantet

SHORTLISTED
Eversheds Sutherland
Gide Loyrette Nouel
Kirkland & Ellis

Law Firm of the Year – Iberia

WINNER
Garrigues

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Pérez-Llorca

COMMENDED
Uría Menéndez

SHORTLISTED
Abreu Advogados
Cuatrcasas Goncalves Pereira
Ecija
Gómez-Acebo & Pombo
PLMJ

Law Firm of the Year – Republic of Ireland

WINNER
A&L Goodbody

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Flynn O’Driscoll

SHORTLISTED
Arthur Cox
Dentons
Mason Hayes & Curran
Matheson

Law Firm of the Year – South Eastern Europe

WINNER
Wolf Theiss

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Kinstellar

COMMENDED
Schönherr

SHORTLISTED
Bojanovic Partners
Gecic Law
KP Law
Moral | Kınıkoğlu | Pamukkale | Kökenek Attorney Partnership 
Popescu & Asociatii

European Competition or Antitrust Team of the Year

WINNER
Cooley

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Latham & Watkins

SHORTLISTED
Gecic Law
SRS Legal
Strelia

European Finance Team of the Year

WINNER
Latham & Watkins

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Sayenko Kharenko

COMMENDED
A&L Goodbody

SHORTLISTED
Abreu Advogados
Aeguo
BonelliErede
Garrigues
Schalast Law

European Specialist Firm of the Year

WINNER
Habraken Rutten

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Sagardoy Abogados

COMMENDED
Vandenbulke

SHORTLISTED
Brucher Thieltgen & Partners
Ecija
Kopeć Zaborowski
MFW Fiałek
Pogust Goodhead

Best ESG Initiative

WINNER
Aequo

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Kochański & Partners

COMMENDED
BonelliErede

SHORTLISTED
Dentons
Ecija
Eversheds Sutherland
Matheson
Mondelez Europe

European General Counsel of the Year

WINNER
Barbara Levi, UBS

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Henrik Johansson, Nordic Capital

COMMENDED
Liisa Rajala Malmgren, Alight

SHORTLISTED
Isabel Lage, Fidelidade
John Harrison, Airbus
Munesh Mahtani, Via Transportation

Offshore Firm of the Year

WINNER
Ogier

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Mourant

COMMENDED
Carey Olsen

SHORTLISTED
Harney Westwood & Riegels
Lennox Paton
Marshall Diel & Myers

Best pro bono initiative

WINNER
Joint Entry: European Lawyers in Lesvos, Allen & Overy, Bird & Bird, Dentons, Hogan Lovells, Norton Rose Fulbright, White & Case

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Avellum

COMMENDED
Ecija

SHORTLISTED
A&L Goodbody
Dentons
Join Entry: Orrick, Freshfields, DLA Piper, Linklaters, Herbert Smith Freehills, Osborne Clarke, Reed Smith and Eversheds Sutherland
Kopeć Zaborowski
Uría Menéndez

Law firm of the year: Ukraine

WINNER
Sayenko Kharenko

HIGHLY COMMENDED
Asters

COMMENDED
Aequo

Avellum
EVERLEGAL
Kinstellar
Redcliffe Partners