Award Categories 2023

Judges will be looking for candidates who

• are truly exceptional at their job, regularly delivering and consistently going that extra mile at every opportunity
• enhance lawyers’ effectiveness and ensure smooth operations
• contribute to the overall success of the legal firm by efficiently managing administrative tasks and providing excellent support.

The judges will be looking for

• evidence of how the provision of tailored legal services and strategic guidance to help new and growing firms to navigate legal challenges and ensure their growth and success.
• details of how the legal advice provided has made a significant commercial difference to individual start-ups or scale-ups in Wales
• examples for a variety of work which could include investment advice, patent advice or other corporate transactions.

Judges will be looking for an outstanding marketing strategy, approach or campaign that has made a significant difference to the business over the last 12 months and delivered tangible results.

The judges will be looking for information on the following specific areas for this award:

– How has your team demonstrated the delivery of excellence within the sector.
– Provide examples of exceptional leadership, innovation and effectiveness in the management of legal operations within your firm.
– Explain how your firm has demonstrated a high level of expertise in organising and optimising legal processes, resulting in improved efficiency.
– What have been your team’s notable achievements?
– What difference would winning this category make to your team?

The winning team will have provided proactive, innovative and commercial advice to clients in the context of either one exceptional deal or ongoing commercial advice and support.

• The winning team will have successfully advised on, strategised and delivered the best result for its client(s) with a clear focus on client care.
• Displaying a point of difference / a flexible approach to changes in the legal market.
• Provide examples of how the team’s work has been recognised/appreciated by the legal and business community in Wales and beyond.
• This team will set new standards in the delivery of legal services and demonstrate a market-leading position.

• The winning team will be able to demonstrate it has provided bespoke advice and obtained the best result for its client(s).
• Evidence excellence in client service.
• Display a point of difference / a flexible approach to changes in the legal market.
• Provide examples of how the team’s work has been recognised/appreciated by the legal and business community in Wales and beyond.

• The winning team will demonstrate a commitment to excellence in advising in all areas of family law and their ability to offer compassionate yet innovative advice.
• Evidence excellence in client service.
• Provide examples of how the team’s work has been recognised/appreciated by the legal and business community in Wales and beyond.

• The winning team will demonstrate a commitment to excellence in advising in all areas of private client services and their ability to offer compassionate yet innovative advice.
• Evidence excellence in client service.
• Provide examples of how the team’s work has been recognised/appreciated by the legal and business community in Wales and beyond.

• The winning team will demonstrate the importance of human rights and public law work within Wales.
• Evidence innovation and a flexible approach to challenges to the legal market.
• Provide examples of how the team’s work has directly helped shape public services / policy / access to justice / equality and fairness for Welsh society.

• The winning team will demonstrate cost effectiveness, commitment and professionalism at what is often a fraught time for clients.
• This team will demonstrate its ability to build genuine relationships with their clients and provide bespoke and excellent advice.
• Evidence excellence in client service.
• Evidence innovation / a flexible approach to changes in the legal market.
• Provide examples of how the team’s work has been recognised/appreciated by the legal and business community in Wales and beyond.

• The winning team will demonstrate it is at the forefront of the provision of high quality advice in relation to commercial property, construction, planning and/or disputes arising from commercial property in Wales.
• Evidence excellence in client service.
• Evidence innovation / a flexible approach to changes in the legal market.

• The winning team will demonstrate it has fulfilled its objectives and excelled across the full spectrum of in-house responsibilities including legal expertise, innovation, teamwork, efficiency and a clear contribution to the strategy and delivery of service within the organisation/business.

• This award is for lawyers with up to 3 years PQE.
• This individual will already be demonstrating a high level of involvement within the profession and area of practice – bringing insight, flair and imagination to everything they do.
• This is one of only two awards for an individual and the judges will be looking for personal and professional excellence alongside evidence of an individual who stands heads and shoulders above their contemporaries in Wales.
• The judges want to see evidence of:
  • significant contribution to legal services through their work;
  • positive social or commercial impact through their actions;
  • creativity and hard work consistently demonstrated.

• The winning team will demonstrate extensive development and progress as a business, including but not limited to:
  • strategy
  • growth in a niche field
  • financial performance
  • employee development
  • diversity and training.
• This team will demonstrate its ability to creatively and effectively compete with multi-practice firms whilst exceeding the expectations of basic client care and professionalism.

• The winning team will demonstrate that they are leaders in their chosen market and show their extensive development and progress as a business within the last year.
• This team will also demonstrate active engagement with the community, corporate initiatives and pro-bono work.
• Entrants to this award must be able to demonstrate they are the ‘whole package’ within the legal sector and be able to show a rounded approach to the delivery of legal services.

• The winning set will have demonstrated excellence in their practice area(s), innovation, a commitment to diversity and corporate social responsibility.
• Above all, the chambers will prove a consistent commitment to client support, satisfaction and a proven track record at being involved in the leading/reported cases in their field(s).

• This award recognises those which can demonstrate they are transforming the competitive landscape with the delivery of unique new client solutions, technologies, platforms and services.
• Our judges look for evidence of original concepts— technology-based or otherwise — that improve the speed or quality of service to clients and the wider community, such as developments in e-discovery etc; broaden the range of the organisation’s activity; or increase the operational efficiency and delivery of legal services and / or access to justice.

• The winning team will demonstrate an initiative that has made a tangible difference in creating a more diverse and inclusive workplace. This could for example be around recruitment and retention, staff networks, accessibility in the workplace, data and monitoring or inclusion champions (or something else).
• The team will provide evidence that the initiative has promoted a more diverse and inclusive culture in the organisation, here in Wales.
• Submissions that cover one, some, or all aspects of diversity (including gender, ethnicity, social mobility, disability, health and wellbeing and sexual orientation) are invited.

• Examples of ‘service providers to the legal sector’ include organisations such as: IT support; marketing; business development; financial services; insurance services; translation services; software; shredding services; expert witness services; storage/archiving, and; costs draftsman.
• The winning team will demonstrate a consistent delivery of innovative and client-focused services to enhance its clients’ legal offering.
• The winning team may also demonstrate any value-added services that benefit the wider community or legal sector in Wales

• This is a judges’ choice award. Nominations are not required for this category.