ANDERSON Strathern was last night unveiled as the Scottish Independent Law Firm of the year at The Herald’s Law Awards of Scotland.
The firm, which was also victorious in the Employment Team of the Year category, took home the gong after impressing the judges not just with its attention to financial management but with its commitment to staff wellbeing too.
CMS was named the winner of the Law Firm of the Year category.
Law Society president John Mulholland, who served on the judging panel, noted the valuable contribution the firms are making to the Scottish legal profession.
“Once again the Herald Law Awards of Scotland gave us a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the important and significant contributions being made by our members to Scottish communities,” he said.
In the individual categories, Mike Dailly of Govan Law Centre was named Solicitor of the Year and Aidan O’Neill QC of Ampersand Advocates was crowned Silk of the Year for the third year running.
Balfour & Manson chairman Elaine Motion, meanwhile, took home the outstanding contribution award in recognition of her longstanding commitment to bringing strategic litigation cases, most recently acting alongside Mr O’Neill on all four Brexit-related cases that have been heard in the Scottish courts. Her firm was also recognised in the Litigation Team of the Year category.
McKinstry Practice Management managing director Graeme McKinstry, who presented the outstanding contribution award, said: “McKinstry Practice Management is again delighted to be associated with the Law Awards of Scotland and in particular sponsoring the Outstanding Contribution Award, which is an accolade recognising the special and lasting contribution which this year’s winner has made in shaping and developing Scots law.”
Similarly, the Judges’ Award recognised the contribution made by Glasgow Social Justice Lawyers – a collective made up of Latta & Co, JustRight Scotland, Govan Law Centre, Legal Services Agency and Shelter Scottish Housing Law Service – who combined their expertise to ensure 150 asylum seekers would not be evicted from their Glasgow homes while a court case against service provider Serco was live.
Elsewhere, the Innovation Award, was won by Shepherd and Wedderburn with Neilsons Solicitors and Estate Agents receiving a commendation.
Brian Welsh, chief executive of sponsor Insight Legal, noted that the event had been “a celebration of the innovative and forward-thinking professionals who make vast contributions within the legal sector.”
Ronnie Murison, director of sheriff officer services at Stirling Park, added that the event “allowed Scotland’s legal profession to recognise and reward the high achievers in their particular field”.
Shortlist and winners
Junior Solicitor of the Year
Fraz Ahmed – Jones Whyte – Commendation
Emma Boffey – CMS – Winner
Leigh Herd – Shepherd and Wedderburn
Jamie Meechan – MacRoberts LLP
Shawn Wood – Watermans Legal
Private Client Team of the Year
Blackadders LLP
Burness Paull
Dentons
Gillespie Macandrew – Winner
Debt Recovery Team of the Year – Sponsored by Stirling Park
Ascent Legal Scotland
Gilson Gray
Shoosmiths – Winner
Real Estate Team of the Year
Blackadders LLP
Dentons
Harper Macleod – Winner
Shoosmiths
Litigation Team of the Year – Sponsored by Stirling Park
Balfour+Manson – Winner
Clyde & Co (Scotland) LLP
Dallas McMillan Solicitors
Drummond Miller LLP
Halliday Campbell
High Street Firm of the Year
Latta & Co Solicitors – Winner
Neilsons Solicitors and Estate Agents
McClure Solicitors
Watermans Legal
In-House Team of the Year
Aberdeen City Council
Virgin Money UK PLC – Winner
Glasgow City Council – Legal and Administrative Services (Licensing)
Employment Team of the Year
Anderson Strathern – Winner
Blackadders LLP
Transactions Team of the Year
CMS
Dentons
MacDonald Henderson Solicitors
Shepherd and Wedderburn – Winner
CSR Award
Innes & Mackay – Commendation
Irwin Mitchell Scotland
RBS Legal Edinburgh – Winner
Pro-Bono Award – Sponsored by Law Society of Scotland
Clan Childlaw – Winner
CMS
Scottish Child Law Centre
University of Edinburgh Free Legal Advice Centre
University of Strathclyde Law Clinic
Innovation Award – Sponsored by Law Society of Scotland
Blackadders Employment Lawyer in Your Pocket
Kennedys
Neilsons Solicitors and Estate Agents – Commendation
Shepherd and Wedderburn – Winner
Advocate of the Year
Wendy L. Hay – Optimum Advocates – Winner
David Welsh – Axiom Advocates
Solicitor of the Year
Mike Dailly – Govan Law Centre – Winner
Darren Deery – Drummond Miller LLP
Alexander Lamley – MBM Commercial
Lisa Law – Innes & Mackay
Iain Smith – Keegan Smith – Commendation
Manager of the Year
Mike Dailly – Govan Law Centre
Martin Darroch – Harper Macleod
Amanda Jones – Dentons – Winner
Scott Whyte – Watermans Legal
Silk of the Year
Roddy Dunlop QC – Axiom Advocates
Maria Maguire QC – Ampersand Advocates
Aidan O’Neill QC – Ampersand Advocates – Winner
John Scott QC
Andrew Smith QC – Compass Chambers
Law Firm of the Year – sponsored by Insight Legal
CMS – Winner
Irwin Mitchell Scotland
Kennedys
Shoosmiths
Spanish + Scottish Law Practice
Law Firm of the Year – Scottish Independents
Anderson Strathern – Winner
Harper Macleod
MacRoberts LLP
Judges Award
Glasgow Social Justice Lawyers
Outstanding Contribution Award – Sponsored by McKinstry Practice Management
Elaine Motion – Balfour+Manson