Stephenson Law, the boutique Bristol firm launched just four years ago, is to line up against some of the heavyweights of the sector, including Bristol’s TLT and Osborne Clarke, in one of the UK’s top legal awards.
The three are in the running for the title of UK Law Firm of the Year at the British Legal Awards 2021. 
The awards, now in their 12th year and hosted by Law.com International, represent the best of the UK’s legal community.
Stephenson Law, which has gone from a standing start to employ a team of 26, is also shortlisted in the Boutique Law Firm of the Year category of the awards.
Bristol is also represented at the awards by Burges Salmon, which could end up with a hat-trick after being shortlisted in the Property Team of the Year, CSR Initiative of the Year and D&I Initiative of the Year categories, and DAC Beachcroft, which has its largest UK office in the city and is also hoping the land the D&I Initiative of the Year title.
Judges for the awards received a record-breaking number of submissions this year.
While the UK Law Firm of the Year category is mostly made up of major firms – TLT employs 140 partners and around 1,200 people across its seven offices and turned over to £110m in the last financial year while Osborne Clarke had revenues of £166.4m last year – a number of the contenders are tiny in comparison. 
Stephenson Law, which prides itself on doing things differently and embracing innovation, is joined on the shortlist by SEN Legal, a practice specialising in education law, in particular special educational needs and disability for children, and by Guildford-based Stevens & Bolton.
TLT managing partner John Wood, pictured, said the firm had demonstrated significant progress over the past 12-18 months.
As well as increasing turnover by 11% it agreed its first formal strategic alliances with Netherlands firm Holla Advocaten and Belgium firm GSJ advocaten to strengthen how it supports clients internationally and, as part of its new four-year strategy, plans to accelerate the development of its UK offer and its wider international network.
Despite the challenges of the past year, TLT has it also demonstrated its strength and resilience by winning a re-appointment to the Sainsbury’s legal panel and securing roles on the Vodafone legal panel and government’s newly established trade law panel.
“Our nomination for UK Law Firm of the Year is testament to the hard work of everyone at the firm and celebrates the significant achievements we have made at TLT over the last 18 months,” he said.
“Breaking the £100m revenue mark was a significant step forward in our journey of continued and sustainable growth and, with our new strategy and long-term shift to flexible working, we will focus on looking ahead and continue to deliver an outstanding service for our clients.”
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on November 17 in the Hilton Hotel on London’s Park Lane hosted by Sir Trevor McDonald OBE.
