Solicitors Journal Awards 2017 open for entries

Celebrating the best in the legal profession, the Solicitors Journal Awards 2017 will be held on 17 May at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Hosted by ex-England rugby player Brian Moore, the black-tie evening will include a drinks reception, three-course dinner, awards ceremony, and after party.

Launched in 2016, the Awards now comprise 18 categories covering all aspects of legal practice, with seven new categories, including Diversity Scheme of the Year, Chambers of the Year, and Working in Partnership, which is open to those supplying services to the legal profession. The categories are:

• Chambers of the Year - NEW

• Commercial Team of the Year

• Commercial Property Team of the Year - NEW

• Conveyancing Team of the Year - NEW

• Diversity Scheme of the Year- NEW

• Employment Team of the Year

• Family Team of the Year

• Law Firm of the Year - NEW

• Legal Aid Team of the Year

• Legal Education Provider of the Year

• Legal Personality of the Year

• Lifetime Achievement Award

• Litigation Team of the Year

• Personal Injury Team of the Year

• Private Client Team of the Year

• Pro Bono Team of the Year - NEW

• Rising Star

• Working in Partnership (Supplier Award) NEW

All categories will be judged by an influential and respected judging panel comprised of specialists in the relevant area of practice.

John van der Luit-Drummond, deputy editor of Solicitors Journal and Awards judge, said: ‘Building on the success of last year’s inaugural awards hosted by Andrew Marr, we look forward to celebrating the cream of the legal profession and their marvellous achievements in the past 12 months. I am particularly pleased to see the introduction of the Diversity Scheme of the Year to reward initiatives which aim to increase diversity in the profession.’

The deadline for entries is 7 February 2017, with winners announced on 17 May 2017.

Judges

• Pippa Allsop: associate at Michelmores

• Miranda Brawn: director of legal and transaction management at Daiwa Capital Marketsand founder of the Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation 

• Sir Henry Brooke: retired judge and former vice-president of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales

• Simon Brown: founder of The ESTAS Group

• Vicky Clark: private practice director at recruitment firm BCL Legal

• John Cooper QC: 25 Bedford Row barrister specialising in human rights and criminal law

• Robert Currie: head of private banking UK at Nedbank Private Wealth

• Dana Denis-Smith: founder and CEO of Obelisk Support and founder of the First 100 Years project

• Peta Dollar: writer and lecturer on a wide variety of property-related topics

• Felicity Gerry QC: international barrister at Carmelite Chambers, London, and William Forster Chambers, Darwin

• Jean-Yves Gilg: editor-in-chief of Solicitors Journal

• Stephen Gilmore: professor of family law at King’s College London

• Lesley Graves: founder and managing director of Citadel Law

• Melissa Hardee: consultant with Hardee Consulting Limited

• Sue Hearn: programme director for property and commercial law at Central Law Training

• Sean Jones QC: employment barrister practising from 11KBW

• Andrew Kidd: private client partner at Clintons

• Paul Magrath: barrister and editor of The Business Law Reports

• Leanne Maund: associate at Mishcon de Reya and former chair of the Junior Lawyers Division at the Law Society for England and Wales

• Lucy Morrison: managing director at Central Law Training

• Sir Geoffrey Nice QC: barrister who led the prosecution in the trial of Slobodan Milosevic at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

• Tunde Okewale MBE: barrister practising from Doughty Street Chambers

• Kevin Poulter: partner in the employment team at Child & Child

• Mark Solon: chairman at Wilmington Legal and founder of Bond Solon

• Julia Thackray: programme director for family law at Central Law Training

• John van der Luit-Drummond: deputy editor of Solicitors Journal

• Viv Williams: legal services director of SIFA

Awards host for 2017: Brian Moore

Brian Moore played for England, the Barbarians, and the British Lions, earning 64 caps for his nation. Crowned ‘Rugby World Player of the Year’, he became one of the most respected names in the game, appearing in three World Cups and winning three Grand Slams. Off the field, Brian worked as a litigation solicitor, serving as a partner with two London firms. Brian has commentated for the BBC and TalkSport, become a qualified referee, written on wine for The Sun, and contributed a column in The Telegraph.