Law firm VWV has received two prestigious industry awards in the space of two weeks.
The Bristol-based firm, formerly called Veale Wasbrough Vizards, was crowned Specialist Team of the Year at the 360 Legal Group awards for its leading role in the education sector and was also named Regional Law Firm of the Year at the Bristol Law Society awards.
360 Legal Group recognised VWV as one of the UK’s progressive law firms and says of the award: “VWV’s education team was recognised as Specialist Team of the Year for embarking on a learning curve with a clear strategy to target a specific and growing sector of the market.”
VWV anticipated the political change that led to significant legal work arising from maintained schools being encouraged to convert to academies. The team invested ahead of that change in relationships with sector associations such as the National Association of School Business Management (NASBM) and was ready ahead of the Academies Act in July 2010 to win work from academy conversions.
As well as increasing work from state-funded schools, VWV has remained focused on the wider education sector and has maintained historic levels of growth in its work for independent schools, nurseries and higher and further education institutions.
The Bristol Law Society award recognises VWV’s achievements in Bristol and the South West.
An important part of the firm’s involvement in the region, particularly over the past year, has been the day-to-day contact it has with, and provides support for, the region’s small and medium-sized law firms through its role as the hub firm for Connect2Law (a legal network operated by law firms for law firms). In the past 12 months the regional membership of Connect2Law has doubled.
The firm also attaches considerable importance to corporate social responsibility and the role of the VWV Charitable Trust which makes regular grants to the region’s charities. VWV’s continued strategic growth, evidenced by the arrival of three partners in recent months, growth in key industry sectors and strong regional client base all add weight to the firm'’ success in the region.
Managing partner Simon Heald said: “We are delighted to have won these awards, which recognise both our regional and national strength.
"Key to the Specialist Team of the Year award and our growth in the education sector is our long term relationships with clients and prospects, and a genuine passion for their work. VWV has a long history at the heart of the Bristol and south west legal and business community, and we are delighted that this has been recognised by the Bristol Law Society.
“An important factor in both of these successes is VWV’s ability to field the combined resources and expertise of our Bristol and London teams to service clients’ needs from both locations.”
