Nomination deadline extended for Law Society Excellence Awards

The closing date for entries to the most prestigious awards in the legal calendar has been extended until August 17, allowing the legal profession extra time to submit their entries during this busy summer.

The excitement is building as the team of distinguished judges prepare to undertake the task of working through the hundreds of entries to select the shortlist and winners of the awards, which are now in their 6th year.

Lawyers across the country who play a critical role in advising clients on a range of essential legal matters, from employment advice; elderly client advice; wills and probate; lasting power of attorneys; to property law, now have three weeks to submit their nominations to the Law Society Excellence Awards to gain recognition for their achievements as outstanding practitioners in the legal sector.

The Law Society Excellence Awards recognise and reward the most outstanding and dynamic practitioners in the legal profession and are open to individuals and teams across the entire legal sector, not just solicitors. Now in their sixth year, the awards are the most prestigious awards in the legal calendar and are firmly established as the leading awards for the profession. The closing date for entries to the Law Society Excellence awards is just one month away.

BBC Broadcaster Mishal Husain will present the awards at a prestigious celebration dinner on October 18 at Old Billingsgate, London.

Building on the success of the Excellence Awards since their 2007 inauguration, a range of new categories have been added, which reflect the diverse work of the profession. Individuals are invited to enter the following categories: Solicitor Advocate of the Year, Junior Lawyer of the Year, Solicitor of the Year - In-house, Solicitor of the Year - Private Practice and Legal Executive of the Year.

Entries to the category of AWS Legal Business Woman of the Year will be selected from the entrants to the Association of Women Solicitors (AWS) awards.* Nominations are also open for The Law Society Gazette Legal Personality of the Year. The winner of this award will be selected by the Law Society Gazette.**

A new category, Excellence in Conveyancing Practice, has been added for the 2012 awards, which is open to Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) accredited practices only. The award will be made to the firm that best demonstrates their commitment to the values of the scheme, including its use in furthering their business and in raising standards of client care and service.

Teams are encouraged to compete for awards in Client Service, Innovation, Equality & Diversity, Environmental Responsibility, Marketing & Business Development, Practice Management and Community Investment. Relevant award entries will also be considered for a special Social Mobility accolade, for the entry which most effectively promotes fair access to the profession for individuals from underprivileged backgrounds.

The awards reward and promote excellence across the legal profession and celebrate outstanding achievement. The high standard of entries in recent years demonstrates that lawyers continue to innovate and to deliver work of the highest quality despite the challenging economic climate.

Law Society Vice President Lucy Scott-Moncrieff said, “Britain has a lot to celebrate in its legal sector, and it is this talent that the Law Society Excellence Awards are designed to reward. These awards are the most sought-after in the legal calendar. The categories highlight the vast range of work undertaken by the profession. Winning a Law Society Excellence Award is a huge achievement that brings recognition for individuals and firms. The awards reflect the Law Society’s commitment to the promotion of quality, innovation and client service across the legal profession, and I invite practices of all types and sizes and individuals to throw their hats into the ring by entering these sought-after awards.”

Entries can be completed via the online nomination system. Nominations are now open until Friday 17 August 2012.

To enter and for further details of the nomination process visit www.lawsociety.org.uk/excellenceawards. Entries can also be submitted by post.