Winner: Foot Anstey (Plymouth)

The judges were impressed that Plymouth-based Foot Anstey have developed their commitment to excellence by establishing a Quality Directorate. The judges took particular note that a 'Client Experience Project' was implemented to understand and improve the service received by clients.

Shortlist

• Bott & Co (Cheshire)
• Durham County Council Legal Department (Durham)
• Foot Anstey (Plymouth)
• Pannone LLP (Manchester)
• Thring Townsend Lee & Pembertons (Bath)

Winner: Awdry Bailey & Douglas (Wiltshire)

This South-West based firm demonstrated cutting-edge business practice and client service by introducing an innovative one-stop-shop business model for home information packs, which has proved simple and straightforward and very successful.

Shortlist

• Awdry Bailey & Douglas (Wiltshire)
• Birmingham City Council Legal Services (Birmingham)
• First Law Limited (London)
• Leeds Legal (Leeds)
• Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP (London)
• Scott-Moncrieff, Harbour & Sinclair ( London)

Winner: Shoosmiths (Birmingham)

Shoosmiths' enthusiasm for training, coaching and 1-2-1s, together with the sheer number of opportunities for staff to get involved impressed all the judges. The list of benefits for staff was very impressive including weekly fruit deliveries, stress management sessions, mentoring schemes for new lawyers and a counselling service.

Shortlist

• Allen & Overy (London)
• Keoghs LLP (Bolton)
• Nicholas Moore (Somerset)
• Pannone LLP (Manchester)
• Shoosmiths (Birmingham)

Winner: Allen & Overy (London)

The judges were hugely impressed by Allen & Overy's commitment to diversity, led from the top by the Senior Partner. The wide range of activity to address diversity issues has brought clear results and sets a benchmark for the profession.

Shortlist

• Allen & Overy (London)
• Bevan Brittan LLP (Bristol)
• CPS West Yorkshire (Leeds)
• Shoosmiths (Birmingham)
• Thaliwal Bridge Solicitors (Leicester)

Winner: Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (London)

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's range of projects including supporting charity Crisis on its Urban Village project to provide free legal advice on housing issues made their entry stand out. Most notable was a programme designed to break the cycle of homelessness and social exclusion through providing work experience, job coaching, informal support schemes and pro bono legal advice. The firm offer 20 placements a year and to date have employed 14 people on a permanent basis.

Shortlist

• Allen & Overy (London)
• DLA Piper UK LLP (Birmingham)
• Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP (Colchester, Essex)
• Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (London)
• Linklaters LLP (London)

Winner: Phil Shiner (Public Interest Lawyers – Birmingham)

Phil Shiner's tenacious and courageous commitment to the rights of those for whom access to justice would otherwise be denied impressed the judges immensly. Phil has tirelessly dedicated himself to controversial cases such as Al Skeini. This case resulted in a landmark ruling in the House of Lords on behalf of bereaved Iraqi families whose relatives had been killed in incidents in which British soldiers had been implicated. He has also acted for British soldiers.

Shortlist

• Jeremy Ferguson (Messrs Chanter Ferguson - Devon)
• June Venters QC (Venters Solicitors - London)
• Phil Shiner (Public Interest Lawyers – Birmingham)

Joint winner: Daniel Carey (Peace Brigades International UK Section - London)

For over six months, Daniel Carey has been an international observer with the human rights charity Peace Brigades International. He provides support for Guatemalan human rights lawyers and others, helping to transform a country scarred by a brutal thirty-year armed conflict that has cost 200,000 lives.

Daniel demonstrated great solidarity with fellow professionals struggling where the rule of law is not observed. His determination to bringing to Guatemala some of the basic principles of justice and human rights that people all too often take for granted here was what impressed the judges.

Joint winner: Meinir Evans (Merlin Phillips Incorporating KTP – Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan)

Meninir Evans practices in Pontypridd, one of the poorest and most deprived areas in South Wales.

She is committed to ensuring that legal advice is provided to the most vulnerable in society, especially the large elderly population.

Ms Evans set up and currently runs the free legal clinic at the Rhondda Taff Ely Community Cancer Centre and as a result has developed strong links with Age Concern, as well as with groups concerned with Parkinsons, heart disease and diabetes. Her empathy and her warm and friendly manner has helped to put at ease those sometimes wary of dealing with proessional.

Shortlist

• Andrew Campbell (Withy King Solicitors - Bath)
• Daniel Carey (Peace Brigades International UK Section - London)
• Meinir Evans (Merlin Phillips Incorporating KTP – Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan)