Osborne Clarke and Gregg Latchams scooped the law firms of the year titles at this year’s Bristol Law Society annual awards dinner staged last night.
Osborne Clark – one Bristol’s ‘big two’ firms – won the award for Law Firm of the Year with more than 15 partners sponsored by Lloyds Bank SME Banking, while Gregg Latchams collected the award for a firm with fewer than 15 partners, which was sponsored by No5 Chambers.
Guildhall Chambers won the Chambers of the Year award, sponsored by Smith & Williamson, with Jeremy Dickerson of Burges Salmon – the second of the 'big two' – gaining the Solicitor of the Year award sponsored by Paragon Cost Solutions.
Special mention was made of Guildhall’s exceptional success in the Chambers UK legal directory and its significant contribution to the local legal community, including Andrew Langdon QC’s recent election as Leader of the Western Circuit.
Head of chambers at Guildhall Peter Blair QC said: “This fantastic award reflects our unwavering commitment to providing outstanding legal services within Bristol and throughout the UK. We are proud to be recognised as Bristol’s leading barrister set and extend our congratulations to all winners on the night.”
Guildhall was also delighted to have been jointly nominated with DAC Beachcroft for the Corporate Social Responsibility award through the joint launch and support of Bristol Old Vic’s COMPANY school’s scheme.
More than 360 solicitors, barristers, legal executives and guests, attended the event at Bristol’s Marriott City Centre Hotel.
Bristol Law Society president Ashley Palminteri said: “Congratulations to each of the winners. We had more nominations this year than ever before. The standard of the entries was very high and the winners were rightly applauded in front of their peers and colleagues. This is the fourth year that we have hosted an awards ceremony and each year their popularity has grown.”
This year's dinner was sponsored by the University of the West of England.
The full list of awards is:
President’s Outstanding Achievement sponsored by The Law Society
David Woodward, TLT
Solicitor of the Year sponsored by Paragon Cost Solutions
Jeremy Dickerson, Burges Salmon
In House Solicitor of the Year sponsored by Wesleyan for Lawyers
Leighton Hazell, Computershare (previously Bank of Ireland)
Junior Lawyer of the Year sponsored by Bristol Law Society Recruitment
Scott Silbereis, Clarke Willmott
Sole Practitioner of the Year sponsored by Prime Professions
Rupert Scrase, Scrase Employment
Chartered Legal Executive of the Year sponsored by Moneypenny
Geoff Goulding, Wards
Barrister of the Year sponsored by Lansdown Place
Michael Fitton QC, Albion Chambers
Law Firm of the Year (Up to 15 partners) sponsored by Lloyds Bank SME Banking
Gregg Latchams
Law Firm of the Year (More than 15 partners) sponsored by No5 Chambers
Osborne Clarke
Chambers of the Year sponsored by Smith & Williamson
Guildhall Chambers
Legal Aid Firm of the Year sponsored by Guildhall Chambers
Watkins Solicitors
Corporate Social Responsibility sponsored by Wessex Searches
Barcan Woodward
Non Fee Earner of the Year sponsored by Scott Law
Rebecca Balsom, Veale Wasbrough Vizards
Law Student of the Year sponsored by UWE
Elffin Farnon-Turner, UWE
Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year sponsored by The University of Law
Philippa Morgan, Lyons Davidson
