2023 BIRMINGHAM LAW SOCIETY LEGAL AWARDS SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

58 individuals and firms have been recognised in Birmingham Law Society’s annual Legal Awards shortlist, which has been recently announced.

The auspicious event is the crowning glory in the crown of the Birmingham Law Society – the largest and most vibrant local Law Society outside of London – and is a celebration of the best legal talent across Birmingham!

Martin Hall commented: “We were extremely impressed with the high quality of the submissions in 2023. All firms and individuals should be very proud of their submissions as it gave the shortlisting committee a very difficult but enjoyable challenge. Thank you to all participants.”

President of the Birmingham Law Society, Tony McDaid added: “It is no surprise that the quality of entrants to this year’s Legal Awards is so high. Birmingham is blessed with some of the legal sector’s most influential and sector-leading firms and individuals – all of whom choose to flourish here in our city.”

The shortlist is exclusively revealed below:

Trainee Solicitor of the Year sponsored by The University of Law

Monika Gagat, Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP
Grace Hallam, Weightmans LLP
Nikita Pierpoint, Bevan Brittan LLP
Phoebe Smart, Irwin Mitchell LLP
Sophie Warren, Shoosmiths LLP

Apprentice of the Year

Caira Baker, Capsticks Solicitors LLP
Alexander Bradbury, Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP
Sinead Jones, Kennedys Law LLP
Tom Reeves, Weightmans LLP
Renee Tombs, Bevan Brittan LLP

Paralegal of the Year sponsored by Landmark Information Group

Manaar Dayoub, Capsticks Solicitors LLP
Liberty Green, Weightmans LLP
Raipreet Singh Phull, Weightmans LLP
Chanel Quigley, Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP
Hayley Webb, Greens Solicitors Ltd

Solicitor of the Year sponsored by Cornwall Street Barristers

Michelle Chapman, Irwin Mitchell LLP
Fiona Farrell, Irwin Mitchell LLP
Mariyam Harunah, Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP
Jonathan Lewis, Capsticks Solicitors LLP
Sharon Thandi, Devonshires Solicitors

Barrister of the Year sponsored by Birmingham City University

Marc Brown, St Philips Chambers
Louise Corfield, No5 Barristers’ Chambers
Aimee Fox, 3PB Barristers
Yolanda Pemberton, St Philips Chambers
Alexander Pritchard-Jones, No5 Barristers’ Chambers

Partner of the Year

Ruth Griffin, Gowling WLG
Mark Hands, Irwin Mitchell LLP
Ian Jones, Spencer Shaw Solicitors Ltd
Christopher Plumley, Trowers & Hamlins
Shivaji Shiva, VWV

BLS Pro Bono Award sponsored by Keele University

Elena Goodfellow, Bevan Brittan LLP
William Horwood, St Philips Chambers
Sibon Phiri, United Legal Access
Faizan Sadiq, Greens Solicitors Ltd

BLS Equality and Diversity Award (Law firm) sponsored by The College of Legal Practice

Bridging the Bar, 3PB Barristers
Capsticks Solicitors LLP
Shakespeare Martineau
Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP
Thursfields Solicitors

BLS In-House Award

Birmingham Organising Committee for the 2022 Commonwealth Games
Bal Atwal, West Midlands Police
Tamina Greaves, Crown Prosecution Service
Neena Janda, Zappi
Kuldip Kaur, HSBC Bank PLC

Law Firm of the Year (Sole practitioners and firms up to five partners) sponsored by Index Property Information

Chase Morgan Solicitors
Fountain Solicitors
Neil Davies & Partners
Spencer Shaw Solicitors Ltd
Tenet Compliance & Litigation Ltd

Law Firm of the Year (Regional)

Enoch Evans LLP
George Green LLP
Higgs LLP
Sydney Mitchell LLP
The Wilkes Partnership LLP

Law Firm of the Year (National) sponsored by St Philips Chambers

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP
Gateley Legal PLC
Gowling WLG
Shoosmiths LLP
Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP

All nominees are invited to an in-person interview mid-February with judges from a range of backgrounds including:

Professor Lisa Webley, Chair in Legal Education and Research, University of Birmingham Law School
Jeremy Myers, President, Liverpool Law Society
Henrietta Brealey, CEO, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce
Steven Jonas, District Judge and Partner, Jonas Roy Bloom
Karen Cooper, Head of Law & Criminology, Newman University
Dr Jessica Guth, Head of Law School, Birmingham City University
Nick Johnson, President, Manchester Law Society
Jabeer Miah, President, Northamptonshire Law Society
George Bisnought, Managing Director, Excello Law

They will be joined by the shortlist judges to identify the winner of each category which will then be announced on Thursday 9^th March at the glittering awards dinner at the city’s iconic ICC venue.