Freshfields, Linklaters, and Hogan Lovells honoured for diversity and inclusion initiatives

The UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 have once again highlighted the achievements of a range of individuals, law firms, and chambers in promoting diversity within the legal profession.

The Black Solicitors’ Network (BSN) awards, which are sponsored by Solicitors Journal, demonstrated the importance of diversity and inclusion in the profession at a time when the issue is firmly within the media spotlight.

Magic Circle firms Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer were two of the big winners on the night, taking gongs in the ‘Attracting talent’ and best ‘Diversity initiatve’ of the year respectively. The in-house award was won by PwC, while Hardwicke took home the chambers award for diversity and inclusion.

Hogan Lovells won ‘BAME Employee Network of the Year’, while its partner, Ruth Grant was awarded the coverted ‘Diversity Champion’ award. Latham & Watkins took home the awards for talent retention and management.

Meanwhile, ‘BSN Outstanding Lawyer of the Year’ was won by Hillsborough lawyer Marcia Willis Stewart, a partner at Birnberg Peirce, who adds the BSN prize to the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year award and Halsbury ‘Rule of Law’ award from earlier this year.

Over 250 guests were in attendance at the prize giving on 22 November, including representatives from law firms, chambers, regulatory bodies, corporates, financial institutions and other industry stakeholders.

The awards ceremony was hosted by BBC news presenter and correspondent, Reeta Chakrabarti, with the awards were presented by Joe Egan, vice president of the Law Society. The ‘Chambers Diversity and Inclusion Initiative’ award was presented by chair-elect of the Bar, Andrew Langdon QC. And the BSN Lifetime Achievement Award, won by Dr Sandie Okoro, was presented by Ken Olisa OBE, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London.

The full list of winners are below.

Recruitment ‘Attracting Talent’

Linklaters

Retention ‘Talent Management’

Latham & Watkins

BSN Rising Star

Natalie Carter, associate at Mayer Brown

Diversity Champion

Ruth Grant, partner at Hogan Lovells

Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year ‘Law Firm’

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year ‘In-house Legal’

PwC

Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year ‘Sole Practitioner / SME Law Firm’

Halebury

Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year ‘Chambers’

Hardwicke

Multi-cultural/BAME Employee Network of the Year

Hogan Lovells

BSN Outstanding Lawyer of the Year

Marcia Willis Stewart, partner at Birnberg Peirce

BSN Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr Sandie Okoro

@diversitylegal

www.diversitylegalawards.org