Awards and accreditations

As a firm, we believe in being judged by what our people have achieved and not what we say, so we thought we’d share with you just some of our recent successes.

2024

• North West Leadership Awards 2024 - Ryan Brown shortlisted for Young Leader (aged 35 and under), Diversity and Inclusion Leader and Professional Services Leader.
• British Diversity Awards - shortlisted for Head of Diversity of the Year (Oliver Holmes)
• Women and Diversity in Law Awards - shortlisted for DE&I Champion of the year in a Legal role (Bridget Tatham).
• Nottinghamshire Law Society - Shortlisted for Junior Lawyer of the Year 2024 (Laura Morland)
• Nottinghamshire Law Society - Shortlisted for Barrister of the Year 2024 (Leah Redden)
• The Legal 500 ESG Awards 2024 - winner of Social Mobility: Best Initiative to Attract and Retain Talent (outside London)
• The Legal 500 ESG Awards 2024 - Shortlisted for Ethnicity: Best Initiative to Attract and Retain Talent
• The Legal 500 ESG Awards 2024 - Shortlisted for DE&I: Law Firm Initiative of the Year
• The Legal 500 ESG Awards 2024 - Shortlisted for DE&I: Rising Star of the Year (Hannah Collins)
• DIVA Awards 2024 - shortlisted for BNP Parisbas Diversity Champion of the Year (Hannah Collins)
• Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Awards 2024 – winner of BD and Marketing Team of the Year 
• Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Awards 2024 – winner of Public Sector Firm of the Year 
• EducationInvestor Awards 2024 – shortlisted for Legal Advisor of the Year – to Education Institutions
• Health Investor Awards 2024 - shortlisted for Legal Advisors of the Year – Private
• Health Investor Awards 2024 - shortlisted for Legal Advisors of the Year – Public
• Health Investor Awards 2024 - shortlisted for Legal Advisors of the Year – Transactional
• RealDeals Private Equity Awards 2024 - shortlisted for Regional Legal Adviser of the Year category
• East Midlands Dealmakers Awards - shortlisted for Corporate Law Firm of the Year
• East Midlands Dealmakers Awards - shortlisted for Emerging Dealmaker of the Year (Sam Sharp & Matt Bolton)
• East Midlands Dealmakers Awards - shortlisted for Deal of the Year (up to £10m)
• East Midlands Dealmakers Awards - shortlisted for Deal of the Year (£10m+)
• East Midlands Property Awards - Winner of Property Deal of the Year
• East Midlands Chamber Nottinghamshire Business Awards - Finalist for Commitment to People Development
• East Midlands Chamber Nottinghamshire Business Awards - Winner for Outstanding Growth Award
• The Lawyer Awards - shortlisted for Best Talent and Inclusion Initiative
• The Lawyer Awards - shortlisted for Litigation team of the year
• Insider’s North East Dealmakers Awards 2024 - Winner of Deal of the Year (£5m to £20m)
• Insider North West Dealmakers Awards 2024 - shortlisted for Deal of the Year (Sub £10m) twice
• Insider North West Dealmakers Awards 2024 - shortlisted for Mid-Size Law Firm of the Year
• Highly commended in Client Adviser of the Year
• East Midlands Rainmakers Award 2024 - nominated for Legal Team of the Year
• East Midlands Rainmakers Award 2024 - nominated for Private Equity Deal of the Year
• East Midlands Rainmakers Award 2024 - nominated for International Deal of the Year
• East Midlands Rainmakers Award 2024 - nominated for Small Deal of the Year
• East Midlands Rainmakers Award 2024 - nominated for Medium Deal of the Year
• East Midlands Rainmakers Award 2024 - nominated for Large Deal of the Year
• East Midlands Rainmakers Award 2024 - nominated for Rising Star - Matt Bolton
• East Midlands Rainmakers Award 2024 - nominated for Rainmaker - Nigel Blackwell
• The Bar Council Employed Bar Awards 2024 - Winner of Employed Barrister of the Year in a Law Firm (Fiona Butler)
• Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion 2024 Inclusivity Excellence Awards - shortlisted for Innovative Approach to Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion
• Made in Manchester Awards - Bradley Martin shortlisted in Legal Professional category
• Made in Manchester Awards - Laura Thomas shortlisted in Diversity & Inclusivity Champion category

2023

• Social Mobility Employer Index 2023 - ranked ‘one of UK’s top five employers’.
• European Diversity Awards 2023 - Social Mobility Initiative of the Year.
• People in Law Awards 2023 - winner of Best Social Mobility Initiative.
• People in Law Awards 2023 - winner of Grand Prix award.
• Women and Diversity in Law Awards 2023 - winner of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Programme of the Year (FAIRE).
• The Times Best Law Firms 2023 - rated as one of the UK’s leading law firms.
• Made in Manchester Awards 2023 - winner of Lawyer of the Year category (Rebecca Hainsworth).
• East Midlands Dealmakers 2023 - winner of Law Firm of the Year.
• East Midlands Dealmakers 2023 - winner of Dealmaker of the Year (Sandra Wong).
• East Midlands Dealmakers 2023 - winner of Deal of the Year (Under £10m) - Management buyout of Swann Systems.
• East Midlands Dealmakers 2023 - winner of Deal of the Year (£10m+) - Secondary buyout of Littlefish to Bowmark Capital from LDC and management.
• Insider Midlands Dealmakers - winner of SME Deal of the Year.
• Insider Midlands Dealmakers - winner of Deal of the Year.
• Real Deals Private Equity Awards - winner of regional legal adviser of the year.
• EducationInvestor Awards 2023 - winner of Legal Advisor of the Year to - Education Institutions.
• West Midlands Rainmakers 2023 - winner of Private Equity Exit - Palatine exit from CTS investment.
• Exeter Property Awards 2023 - winner of the Legal category.
• British Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2023 - regional winner of the Equality Trailblazer, Diversity and Inclusion Award.
• Nottinghamshire Law Society - winner of the ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award (Peter Ellis).
• Women and Diversity in Law Awards 2023 - highly commended for the DE&I Champion of the Year in a Legal Role category (Grace Woolford).
• Insider East Midlands Property Dinner Awards - commended in the Regeneration and Restoration Project of the Year category.
• Wales Legal Awards 2023 - Winner of Public Law Team of the Year.
• Personnel Today Awards 2023 - Winner of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award (Smaller employers) category.
• European Diversity Awards 2023 - Winner of Social Mobility Initiative of the Year for FAIRE.

2022

• Social Mobility Employer Index 2022 – ‘ranked UK’s number one employer’
• The Times Best Law Firms 2022 – ‘rated as one of the UK’s leading law firms’
• Franco British Business Awards — ‘Diversity & Inclusion Award’
• Education Investor Awards — ‘Legal Advisor to Education Institutions’
• British Diversity Awards 2022 – ‘Social Mobility Initiative of the Year’
• National Insurance Awards 2022 – ‘Inclusion and Diversity Award’
• Lexis Nexis Awards – ‘Award for Diversity and Inclusion’
• Lexis Nexis Awards – ‘Legal Personality of the Year’ (Tom Lyas)
• Manchester Young Talent Awards 2022 — ‘Legal Professional of the Year’ (Holly Quirk)
• Birmingham Black Lawyer (BBL) Excellence Awards – ‘Lawyer of the Year’ (Bridget Tatham)
• Genius Within – ‘Celebrating Neurodiversity Awards’ – ‘Community Choice category’ (Lynette Wieland)
• WeAreTheCity Rising Star Awards 2022 - 'Law' (The Lynne Freeman Award) category (Lynette Wieland)
• WeAreTheCity Rising Star Awards 2022 - 'All Other Industries' category (Laura Mahoney)
• Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards – ‘Junior Lawyer of the Year’ (Hannah Collins)
• East Midlands Dealmakers Awards 2022 – ‘Corporate Law Firm of the Year’
• East Midlands Dealmakers Awards 2022 – ‘Emerging Dealmaker of the Year’ (Sandra Wong)
• South West Dealmakers Awards 2022 – ‘Large Deal of the Year’ (More than £25m)
• Northern Ireland Dealmakers Awards 2022 – ‘Private Equity/Venture Capital Deal of the Year’ - Buyout of investors and investment in Selazar by a global private equity firm
• Insider Midlands Dealmakers Awards - ‘Refinance Deal of the Year’ - the £40m refinancing of Construction Testing Solutions
• Insider Midlands Dealmakers Awards - ‘Mid-Market Deal of the Year’ – the MBO of Kingswood Corporation
• Insider Wales Dealmakers Awards – ‘Deal of the Year’ - Highly Commended - Acquisition of Tillery Valley Foods by Joubere Food Group (Grant Thornton, Browne Jacobson, Addleshaw Goddard)

2021

• Social Mobility Employer Index 2021 - ranked UK’s number one employer
• FT Innovative Lawyers Europe 2021 – Innovation in Diversity and Inclusion
• British Legal Awards 2021 - D & I Initiative of the Year
• UK Social Mobility Awards 2021 - Innovation Award
• The Lawyer Awards - Best Talent and Inclusion Initiative
• Laing Buisson Awards 2021 – Private Legal Advisor
• The Private Equity Awards - Regional Legal Adviser of the Year
• Midlands Dealmakers Awards 2021 - Corporate Law Firm of the Year
• Midlands Awards - International Deal of the Year
• First Hundred Years – The Inspirational Women in Law Awards 2021- Champion of the Year (Lynette Wieland)
• OUTstanding LGBT+Role Model Lists 2021– listed as making a significant contribution to LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace (Hannah Collins)
• POC in Play SAHM Games 2021 - ranked among the Top 100 in the South Asian Heritage Month Games (Kulpreet Virdi)
• Nottingham Law Society Awards 2021 – Solicitor of the Year (Sam Sharp)
• Accredited as a Living Wage Employer by the Living Wage Foundation