LAW firms across Scotland find out today if they have been nominated to receive a prestigious award at the LawAwards of Scotland 2006.
Organised by The Firm magazine and supported by The Herald, The Law Awards of Scotland are now in their third year. A record number of entries to the competition was received this time around, with the introduction of a new judging process designed to make these the only truly independent legal awards in the country.
This year's judging process was split into two stages. Stage one saw more than 2500 clients polled to find out how they rate their legal services providers and 4000 legal professionals canvassed to give their views on their peers.
Stage two saw all the firms and professionals to achieve a high rating invited to submit a 1000-word report outlining why they deserved to be named a winner in their category.
The judging panel which assessed these reports was chaired by leading QC and MSP Gordon Jackson. He was joined on the panel by Rosalind McInnes of BBC Scotland, Professor Peter Robson of Strathclyde University, Robert Pirrie of the WS Society, Innes Christie of Aegon UK, and Richard Draycott, editor of The Firm.
The nominations list includes all the firms and individuals to make it through the first round of research. The winners will be revealed at a gala awards ceremony in September.
Leading Scottish QC Donald Findlay has been signed up to host that event, which will take place at Glasgow's Crowne Plaza Hotel on September 14. The evening begins at 7pm for 7.30pm and a live band will entertain guests until 1am.
The LawAwards of Scotland are supported by many of Scotland's leading suppliers to the legal profession. These include: Acumen Financial Planning, Hudson, Hammond Resources, The Society of Specialist Paralegals, Axiom Business Computers, Stirling Park, Professional Office Supplies, Central Law Training (Scotland) Ltd, and The Herald.
To book tickets for the ceremony please contact: claire. miller@carnyx. com or telephone 0141 559 6064.
Law Awards of Scotland 2006
(Sponsor's name in brackets)
Law Firm of the Year - more than 50 fee earners
(Acumen Financial Planning)
Shepherd+Wedderburn Brodies Wright Johnston & Mackenzie Burness Semple Fraser HBJ Gateley Wareing McGrigors Biggart Baillie MacRoberts Harper Macleod DLA Piper
Law Firm of the Year - under 50 fee earners
(Hammond Resources) Bird Semple MacDonald Henderson Anderson Fyfe
Solicitor of the Year - over 30 (Professional Office Supplies)
Campbell Deane - Bannatyne Kirkwood France & Co Graham Sibbald - Dundas & Wilson Rachael Kelsey - Mowat Hall Dick Wendy Sheehan - Mowat Hall Dick Liesa Spiller - Drummond Miller Maggie Dickson - Govan Law Centre Frank McGuire - Thomsons Brian Inkster - Inksters Alex Devanney - Ness Gallagher & Co Alex Garioch - Morisons Hillary Eldridge - Steel Eldridge Stewart James Dobie - Shepherd+Wedderburn Lorne Graham - Bishops Charles Hay - Bishops Matthew Berlow - Berlow & Co Managing
Partner of the Year
(Central Law Training (Scotland) Ltd) Hugh Mackay - Mowat Hall Dick Angus MacPherson - Drummond Miller Prof Lorne Crerar - Harper Macleod Ernie Booth - Miller Hendry Telfer Blacklock - Blacklock Thorley Morrine MacDonald - MacDonald Henderson Brian Gilfedder - Gilfedder McInnes Diane Cairney - Miller Samuel Alistair Morris - Pagan Osborne
Paralegal of the Year
(The Society of Specialist Paralegals) Bill Miller - Drummond Miller Alistair Sharp - Govan Law Centre Miriam Berlow-Jackson - Berlow & Co Beverley Dennett - West Dumbartonshire Council Garry Thomson - City of Edinburgh Council Carolyn McIntosh - Brodies Wende Wraight - Shepherd+Wedderburn Linda Reilly - Miller Samuel Lorna Reid - Bishops
Family Law Firm of the Year
Mowat Hall Dick Wright Johnston & Mackenzie Brodies Criminal Law Firm of the Year Berlow & Co Gilfedder McInnes Beltrami Anwar Private Client Firm of the Year (Hudson) Paull & Williamsons MacRoberts Bird Semple Turcan Connell
Up and Coming Law Firm of the Year
Mowat Hall Dick Govan Law Centre Berlow & Co Miller Hendry Blacklock Thorley MBM
Commercial Employment Firm of the Year
Brodies Anderson Strathern MacRoberts Paull & Williamsons Wright Johnston & Mackenzie HBJ Gateley Wareing McGrigors AB & A Matthews Semple Fraser In-house Lawyer of the Year Richard Fisher - City of Edinburgh Council Paul Warner - Glasgow City Council Andrew Ferguson - Fife Council Wendy Barber - Fife Council Veronica Gallagher - Balfour Beattie Adrian Smith - First State Investment
Commercial Property Firm of the Year
(Axiom Business Computers) Gillespie Macandrew WS Raeburn Christie Clarke & Wallace Bell & Scott Boyds Wright Johnston Mackenzie Biggart Baillie
Litigation Firm of the Year
(Stirling Park) Burness Brodies Simpson & Marwick Morton Fraser Anderson Fyfe
Corporate Law Firm of the Year
Ledingham Chalmers Paull & Williamsons Biggart Baillie Shepherd+Wedderburn Wright Johnston & Mackenzie MacRoberts Dundas & Wilson Brodies HBJ Gateley Wareing MBM Commercial Semple Fraser
Corporate Lawyer of the Year
(Hammond Resources) Sandy Finlayson - MBM Commercial Mark Rutherford - HBJ Gately Wareing Andrew Ley - HBJ Gately Wareing Alistair Campbell - Brodies George Boyle - Shepherd+Wedderburn David Ross - Biggart Baillie Malcolm Laing - Ledingham Chalmers David Freeman - Paull & Williamsons David Kaye - Clairmonts David Lindgren - Lindsays
Young Lawyer of the Year
Alison Kerr - Mowat Hall Dick Sara Grewer - Drummond Miller Rosie Walker - Morisons Debbie Donaghy - Scotia Gas Networks Colin Bissett - Bell Russell & Co Philip Chalmers - Shepherd+ Wedderburn Siobhan Sullivan - Bishops
Trainee of the Year
Amy Niven - Govan Law Centre Lorraine Barrie - Govan Law Centre Louise Duffy - Balfour & Manson Deborah Morris - Miller Samuel Murray Etherington - Pagan Osborne Julie Steel - Drummond Miller Joanna Hamilton - Biggart Baillie Catriona Torrance - Lindsays
Other awards will be announced at the ceremony: Chairman's Award Lifetime Achievement Award Sheriff of the Year Legal Personality of the Year (Stirling Park)
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