The Modern Law Awards 2020 – Shortlisted

More recognition – We have been shortlisted – The Modern Law Awards 2020 – Category: Boutique Law Firm of the Year 2020

Hot on the heels of our founder Ian Walker being Highly Commended in the Law Society Excellence Awards 2019 in the category of Practice Manager of the Year, we have now been shortlisted in the category of BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (11+ Employees) in the prestigious Modern Law Awards.

What are the Modern Law Awards

These national awards are organised by the Modern Law Magazine. This is essentially a periodical for legal professionals.

This is how Modern Law Magazine describes itself:

Modern Law Magazine has established itself as one of the leading B2B publications in the legal industry. As a number of distinct trends start to emerge out of the legal landscape, rather than being apprehensive of the scale of the change, now is the time to embrace the opportunities it will bring. Modern Law is focused on covering those trends and helping your law firm and/or organisation become more efficient, productive and sustainable in an increasingly competitive market.

As the needs and expectations of customers and clients are changing so are the expectations of our readers. We will continue to bring you high-profile interviews as well as views from the Top 100, regional outlooks and start-up diaries. Our expert panel of editorial board members will lead the discussion and provide our readers with exclusive insight into the ‘business of law’. In every issue you can expect to read about new technologies, AI, finance and funding, marketing for your law firm, best business practice and lots more. We are all about putting the modern into the modern law firm.

The Modern Law Awards

This is what Modern Law tell us about the awards:​

Now in their seventh year, the Eclipse Proclaim Modern Law Awards were launched to celebrate and identify sparkling talent and success in entrepreneurship, market development, business management and best practice in the modern legal services arena. These exclusive awards reflect the ever-increasing reorganisation, new legal entities and business dynamism of legal service providers since the Legal Services Act came into force.

The Modern Law Awards offer a unique and timely opportunity to celebrate not only innovative business leaders, but those changing the face of business strategy and development, regulation management and client care throughout the organisation – for both short and long-term gain. Champions in ABSs, new legal entrants and pre-existing law firms that have successfully led engaging, relevant and new strategies for gold-plated services and business growth will be praised in the third of these national awards. The Modern Law Awards are the perfect opportunity for the sector to showcase and set the benchmarks for best practice in the ever diverse, challenging and exciting landscape for the business of law.

Who are the Judges?

This year the Judges include:

• Simon Davis: President of the Law Society
• Michael Napier CBE QC (Hon)
• Sarah Walker-Smith – Chief Executive, Shakespeare Martineau LLP
• Professor Thom Brooks – FAcSS FHEA FRHisS FRSA – Dean of Durham Law School, Chair in Law & Government
• Shawnna Hoffman – Global Cognitive Legal Co-Leader – IBM
• Professor Joan Loughrey – Deputy Head of the School of Law, Leeds
• Tony Fisher – Senior Partner – Fisher Jones Greenwood
• …and more legal industry experts….

In other words this is a weighty and knowledgeable panel of Judges.

This in turn means that these are prestigious national awards.

BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (11+ Employees)

We have been nominated in the category of Boutique Law Firm of the Year (11+ employees), but what does this mean?

Here are the criteria for the category:

• A firm who practices in a niche/specific area of law
• A practice that has performed exceptionally in terms of establishing itself in its chosen market
• Within the last year, has demonstrated extensive development and progress as a business, including, but not limited to; strategy, growth, financial performance, employee development, diversity and training
• An innovative practice that can demonstrate its ability to creatively and effectively compete with multi-practice firms
• A practice that exceeds the expectations of basic client care and professionalism

When are the winners announced?

The awards ceremony is on Thursday 6^th February 2020 in Manchester

What does being shortlisted mean for us?

Ian Walker founded our practice in 2013. Since then we have built a fantastically experienced team and have expanded the area we serve across Devon and Somerset.

We have had 50% growth year on year for the last 5 years. We have achieved lots of good outcomes for clients and their children.

We have made good use of the current technology and early adopters of innovative software.

Our growth has been a team effort. It is always nice to have peer recognition. This recognition allows us to step back and remember how far we have come and the effort and contribution that everyone has made toward this.

It is particularly nice to receive this recognition as we move toward the Christmas holiday and a welcome rest.

Thank you to everyone and we are looking forward to 2020…