Manchester Legal Awards winners revealed
EVERSHEDS was the major winner in the 2015 Manchester Legal Awards.
The national firm, which has its Manchester office on Bridgewater Street scooped five gongs at the event, as it was named large firm, litigation firm, property team, pro bono/community initiative of the year and trainee of the year, which went to the firm’s Lucie Alker.
The hotly-contested medium-firm gong went to LHS Solicitors (previously Lewis Hymanson Small), which denied JMW Solicitors a hat-trick of wins at the awards dinner organised by Manchester Law Society at the city’s Midland Hotel.
Wilmlow-based Bott and Co Solicitors, which has led the way in winning flight delay compensation for air passengers, won the small firm of the year title.
DLA Piper won the coveted corporate and commercial team of the year award, while Slater & Gordon won employment, JMW private client, LHS regulatory team, Farleys won criem team of the year, while the PI/clinical negligence team title went to private equity-backed Wilmslow firm Roberts Jackson.
In the individual categories, the lifetime achievement award went to veteran barrister Michael Redfern QC.
In the partner of the year category, Matthew Claughton, of Olliers Solicitors was judged the winner, while Sally Harrison QC, of St John’s Buildings, won the barrister of the year.
Her set, St John’s Buildings, won the barristers chambers of the year title.
The associate of the year award was won by Kevin Clarke, of Bott & Co, while chartered legal executive of the year prize was won by Rachel Stevens, of Weightmans.