Law firms toast awards success

EVERSHEDS, JMW Solicitors and George Davies’ managing partner Mark Hovell were among the winners at the Manchester Legal Awards.

The awards, attended by around 500 people at the Midland Hotel on Thursday night , also saw Brabners Chaffe Street’s Maurice Watkins honoured with an Outstanding Achievement Award.

Mr Watkins, a leading sports lawyer, was until last year a director of Manchester United.

Eversheds, which won five awards in total, was crowned large firm of the year for a second year running. It also won in the corporate/commercial. litigation, education and pro-bono scheme of the year.

Spinningfields-based JMW Solicitors won the hotly-contested medium-sized law firm of the year. In a double win for the firm Laura Hadzik took the associate of the year title.

Senior partner Joy Kingsley said: “We are delighted to win the medium-sized firm of the year for the first time. JMW has had a great year with substantial increases in profitability and joykingsleysources of wor and this is a highlight for us.

“Our recent success has been built on innovation and this is continuing with the relaunch of our YouClaim website, which provides visitors with advice and assistance on personal injury and clinical negligence claims, and is evidence of how we are meeting the challenges faced by the PI sector.”

Mark Hovell, from George Davies, which is in merger talks with larger rival Mills & Reeve, was judged to be partner of the year.

During the last year his international profile has risen with invitations to lecture law students in Spain and the US. He is also a member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
 
Deans Court Chambers was named barristers’ chambers of the year.

Tony Barnfather’s crime/regulatory team at Pannone was one of three winners for Deansgate-based Pannone, which also triumphed in the  personal injury/clinical negligence and private client titles.

Addleshaw Goddard won the property team of the year.

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