Deadline nears for Yorkshire Lawyer Awards
ENTRIES for the Yorkshire Lawyer Awards 2009 awards are underway with the nomination deadline open until July 10.
Individuals and firms are being invited to nominate themselves or others for the annual awards which have been celebrating Yorkshire’s legal talent for nine years and have firmly established themselves as a highlight of the Yorkshire legal calendar.
As well as recognising the outstanding legal talent in the county, the event also offers professionals the chance to come together to network, socialise and celebrate at the prestigious ceremony and dinner at Rudding House, Harrogate, on September 25.
A new judging panel has been announced for this year’s awards including Paul Aber from the College of Law in York, Susan Clark of Last Cawthra Feather and Lorrette Law of Switalskis Solicitors, who will combine forces with other leading legal figures to oversee an independent and rigorous judging process.
This year sees the introduction of a new category – Law Firm (1-10 partners) – to recognise the invaluable contribution that smaller firms make to Yorkshire’s legal sector and the excellent services which they provide.
TheBusinessDesk.com is the media partner for the event for the second successive year.
Once again, the prestigious Yorkshire Lawyer of the Year Award will be selected by the judging panel – last year it was won by Neil McLean of DLA Piper.and presented on the night together with the Presidents’ Award following its debut at last year’s awards.
Other categories include Law Firm Award (11-30 partners and over 30 partners); Niche Law Firm Award; Rising Star Award; Private Client Award; Corporate & Commercial Award; Real Estate Award; Dispute Resolution Award; Corporate Recovery Award; and Enterprise Award.
Last year’s winners included Pinsent Masons, Chris Caulfield of Hammonds and Julia Rangecroft of McCormicks.
The presidents’ award was presented to Robert Heslett of Beachcroft and vice president of the Law Society.
Jonathan Procter of DLA Piper won the corporate finance award while Addleshaw Goddard’s Leeds-based contentious team claimed the dispute resolution award.
To make a nomination visit www.yorkshirelawyerawards.co.uk; for any queries, call Claire Winstanley on 01423 851157. The deadline for entries is July 10.
Jackie Boole, director of event organisers Barker Brooks, said: “The awards have proved very popular in previous years, with nominations coming from across the region.
We are keen to build on this success and, particularly, to get the smaller firms involved. The awards really are designed to reflect the diversity of our legal sector.”
The awards, organised by Barker Brooks Media and supported by the Leeds Law Society, are being sponsored by the Stroz Friedberg, Property Search Group, Searchflow, Intaforensics, Redmayne Bentley and The Leeds Law School.
As well as honouring excellence in Yorkshire’s legal profession, the awards will raise money for local charity, Yorkshire Cancer Research. Since it was set up in 1925, the charity has become the most successful regional medical research charity in the UK. It funds internationally recognised research into the causes and cures of cancer at its five centres of research excellence at the universities of Bradford, Hull, Leeds, Sheffield and York, and their associated teaching hospitals.
