The Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Awards 2025 | The Legal 500 | Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Oxford St, Manchester M60 7HA, UK

We will be spotlighting the roster of legal talent and excellence across the North, North West, and Yorkshire & the Humber, recognising their hard work and accomplishments over the past year with the Legal 500’s national and international audiences.

In addition to our private practice awards, the exceptional work carried out by in-house lawyers across the region will also be commemorated, with last years’ winners including Manchester Airports Group, Vertu Motors, and DAZN Bet.

The awards are determined based on The Legal 500’s market-leading, independent research for the annual directories. The winners are selected by a judging team led by Amy Ulliott, editor of the UK regions, UK regions deputy editor Sophie Chan, and research editor Francisco Castro, backed by the support of our in-house and freelance research team which covers the UK guide every year.

2024 Winners

Innovative Firm of the Year
• Trowers & Hamlins

Boutique Law Firm of the Year
• Brandsmiths

Diversity and Inclusion Firm of the Year
• Fieldfisher

In-House Diversity Team of the Year
• EG Group

Deal of the Year
• Addleshaw Goddard

In-House Rising Star of the Year
• Matt Hartington, DAZN Bet

BD and Marketing Team of the Year
• Browne Jacobson

In-House Lawyer of the Year
• Nicola Loose, Vertu Motors

ESG Firm of the Year
• DWF

Lawyer of the Year
• Julian Diaz-Rainey, Pinsent Masons

Management Partner of the Year
• Nik White, Brabners

In-House Team of the Year
• MAG (Airports Group)

Law Firm of the Year
• Weightmans

Practice Area Awards
Corporate
• Corporate Firm of the Year: Addleshaw Goddard
• Corporate Lawyer of the Year: Hannah Kendrick, Squire Patton Boggs
• Corporate Rising Star of the Year: Arshnoor Amershi, Pannone Corporate

Crime
• Crime Firm of the Year: Forbes
• Crime Lawyer of the Year: Sam Healey, JMW
• Crime Rising Star of the Year: Ed Youlton, GT Stewart

Dispute Resolution
• Dispute Resolution Firm of the Year: Stewarts
• Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year: Geraldine Ryan, CMS
• Dispute Resolution Rising Star of the Year: Ciaran Dearden, Freeths

Employment
• Employment Firm of the Year: DLA Piper
• Employment Lawyer of the Year: Louise Bloomfield, DAC Beachcroft
• Employment Rising Star of the Year: Carly Mather, Lewis Silkin

Finance
• Finance Firm of the Year: Walker Morris
• Finance Lawyer of the Year: Anna Robson, Shoosmiths
• Finance Rising Star of the Year: Laura Lister, Walker Morris

Insurance
• Insurance Firm of the Year: Irwin Mitchell
• Insurance Lawyer of the Year: Gill Edwards, Hugh James
• Insurance Rising Star of the Year: Colin Murphy, Leigh Day

Private Client
• Private Client Firm of the Year: EMG Solicitors
• Private Client Lawyer of the Year: Lucy Williams, Vardags
• Private Client Rising Star of the Year: David McGuire, Weightmans

Projects
• Projects Firm of the Year: Squire Patton Boggs
• Projects Lawyer of the Year: Fraser Askham, CMS
• Projects Rising Star of the Year: Adam Bertram, Walker Morris

Public Sector
• Public Sector Firm of the Year: Browne Jacobson
• Public Sector Lawyer of the Year: Ben Wood, Eversheds Sutherland
• Public Sector Rising Star of the Year: Morris Hill, Weightmans

Real Estate
• Real Estate Firm of the Year: Pinsent Masons
• Real Estate Lawyer of the Year: Lindsay Texel, Clarion
• Real Estate Rising Star of the Year: Lucy Benton, Temple Heelis

TMT
• TMT Firm of the Year: Muckle
• TMT Lawyer of the Year: Georgina Powling, Addleshaw Goddard
• TMT Rising Star of the Year: Tom Grant, Fletcher Sports Law

Transport
• Transport Firm of the Year: Addleshaw Goddard
• Transport Lawyer of the Year: Jonathan Backhouse, Backhouse Jones
• Transport Rising Star of the Year: Joanne Witheford, DWF