Hägen Wolf, BW Legal and Mills & Reeve were named the Law Firms of the Year last night at the Yorkshire Legal Awards 2021.
This year’s Yorkshire Legal Awards returned to an in-person ceremony at New Dock Hall in Leeds, with hundreds of guests in attendance to celebrate the successes and achievements of the local and regional profession.
The 2021 Small, Medium and Large Law Firms of the Year are Hägen Wolf, BW Legal and Mills & Reeve, respectively.
Addleshaw Goddard and Thrive Law were the biggest winners last night—picking up three awards and two, respectively—to cap off a Yorkshire Legal Awards 2021 ceremony in which 23 categories were closely fought.
Of the awards for practitioners, Neil Hudgell, managing partner of Hudgell Solicitors, is the 2021 Yorkshire Lawyer of the Year.
Reflecting on the judging process and the quality on display, Natalie Cosgrove, president of the Yorkshire Union of Law Societies, a healthcare lawyer at Switalskis Solicitors and chair of the independent judging panel for 2021, said: “Whilst nominees clearly want to win awards, we are lawyers after all, it is built into our very being. I would just suggest that this is more. So much more.”
“I have read every single entry, as have all the judges and those entries were vast. We have all at times felt overwhelmed, in awe, and so incredibly proud of what we have to offer here in Yorkshire.”
All the winners and what the judges had to say
Chambers of the Year (Sponsored by Porsche Centre Leeds)
Parklane Plowden Chambers
“The 2021 Chambers of the Year is a dynamic set doing excellent work across a good range of practice areas. It is also taking its corporate social responsibility activity seriously, doing a lot of charity work and providing significant pro bono support.”
Commercial Property Award (Sponsored by InfoTrack)
Addleshaw Goddard
“The winner of this award is completing highly impressive commercial property deals for important clients in the North, as well as investing in technology to save on costs and improve processes. It is also carrying out excellent diversity initiatives, including some that involve clients.”
Corporate & Commercial Award
Gordons
“This winner is an example of Yorkshire’s finest, with excellent work being carried out on some impressive transactions for its client base in the region. The winner of the 2021 Corporate & Commercial Award also has a good pro bono offering.”
Criminal Law Award
Howard and Byrne
“The winner of 2021 Criminal Law Award is a local firm with international reach. It provides a consistently good service and invests in quality training to keep its staff at the forefront of this vital practice area.”
Debt Recovery Award (Sponsored by High Court Enforcement Group)
Lupton Fawcett
“The winner of this award is developing a focused and effective debt recovery offering that is delivering results for clients, via a flexible and innovative approach, while engaging with external organisations to assist those that cannot afford to take legal advice.”
Diversity & Inclusion Award
Addleshaw Goddard
“This firm is working extremely hard on diversity and inclusion and deserves the recognition of this award. Its focus is broad and impactful, particularly in recruitment, where it is really impressive. An example for others to follow.”
Employment Law Award (Sponsored by St Philips Chambers)
Thrive Law
“The winner of 2021 Employment Law Award is highly forward-thinking for a niche firm and is consistently putting its ethos for mental health into practice. It is more than a law firm and contributes to the culture of the legal profession. The judges are amazed by how much this firm has achieved.”
Family Law Award (Sponsored by Spire Barristers)
Stowe Family Law (Yorkshire Team)
“The winning family law team are solid and pragmatic in a sometimes confrontational area of law. They have a well-earned reputation for being steady hands and a pleasure to work with.”
In-House Award (Sponsored by DLA Piper)
British Business Bank
“The winner of the In-House Award is doing an incredibly important job and is an admirable contributor to the Yorkshire economy. In particular, its legal team carried out quality work to support the roll-out of vital programmes at pace and scale during the pandemic.”
Intellectual Property Award
Appleyard Lees
“This firm is very good at what it does and goes the extra mile to look after clients. Its IP work is of the highest quality, as is its contribution to the local community, particularly through its growth fund for startups seeking IP protection.”
Law Firm of the Year: Large
Mills & Reeve
“The 2021 Law Firm of the Year: Large is impressive in many respects, including its work in a range of practice areas, receiving high plaudits for its role as an employer and improving the client experience, among many others. For a national firm, it is also very active in Leeds.”