Thursday 30 April 2026 brought Rosanna Brown to Emirates Old Trafford for an evening that would mark a career milestone. By the time Insider’s North West Young Professionals Awards reached its legal categories, the Freeths managing associate had secured Corporate Lawyer of the Year.
The judges singled out something beyond technical ability: Brown’s leadership of a large trainee cohort whilst maintaining her own corporate practice. It’s a combination that matters in an industry where billable hours often crowd out development work.
Brown operates from Freeths’ Manchester office as part of the firm’s national corporate team. Her work spans transactions and strategic advisory, but the award recognised her parallel commitment—mentoring junior lawyers and shaping talent development initiatives inside the firm.
The annual Insider awards target professionals aged 35 and under across the North West. Regional emerging talent programmes have proliferated in recent years, but this particular ceremony has established itself as a benchmark for early-career achievement. Multiple sectors compete for recognition.
For the Corporate Lawyer of the Year category, judges sought more than deal experience. They wanted evidence of commercial impact paired with people leadership—a brief that speaks to how law firms now evaluate rising partners.
Peter Crawford, a corporate partner at Freeths, framed Brown’s win in precisely those terms. “Rosanna is an exceptional lawyer and a natural leader,” he said. “This award is a reflection not only of her technical strength and commercial judgement, but also the care and commitment she shows in supporting those around her. She is thoroughly deserving of this recognition.”
The mentoring dimension sets Brown’s practice apart. Many corporate lawyers at her level focus exclusively on building their transaction credentials. Brown has chosen to balance both—a decision that typically means longer days and deliberate time management.
She acknowledged that duality when responding to the award. “I’m incredibly proud to be recognised by Insider alongside such a strong group of professionals from across the region,” Brown said. “Freeths has given me the opportunity to build a varied corporate practice while also playing an active role in supporting trainees and junior lawyers, which is something I really care about. This award reflects the support of a brilliant team and a firm culture that genuinely invests in people.”
The reference to firm culture isn’t mere courtesy. Freeths has positioned itself around talent development and social impact—it achieved B Corporation certification, placing it among commercial law firms that meet verified standards for environmental and social performance. The firm holds Stonewall’s Proud Employer ‘Champion’ status and secured Gold accreditation from Investors in People in 2025.
That infrastructure matters when associates attempt to balance fee-earning work with internal development responsibilities. Without institutional support, mentoring obligations typically slide.
Freeths itself has accumulated recognition over the past two years. The firm took Law Firm of the Year at both the City AM Awards 2025 and the Legal Business Awards 2024. It reached the shortlist for UK Firm of the Year at The Lawyer Awards 2025. The firm also advises clients including Centrica, ENGIE, Aldi, Mercedes-Benz UK, and Lloyds Bank.
The firm’s profile rose significantly following its High Court victory for 555 sub-postmasters in their case against the Post Office—one of the most substantial miscarriages of justice in British legal history. Freeths continues to advise on the subsequent Group Litigation Order and Horizon Convictions Redress compensation schemes.
For Brown, the Thursday evening award adds external validation to an internal trajectory. Managing associates typically sit one tier below partner—a position that functions as an extended audition for equity partnership. Awards of this nature strengthen that case.
The Corporate Lawyer of the Year title also carries regional weight. North West legal markets have grown increasingly competitive as national firms expand their Manchester operations and London firms open northern offices. Recognition from regional business media signals standing among local peers.
Whether Brown’s approach—prioritising trainee development alongside her own practice—becomes more common will depend partly on how firms structure incentives. If mentoring contributions factor meaningfully into partnership decisions, more associates will invest time there. If not, the work falls to those intrinsically motivated to do it.
For now, Brown has demonstrated that both paths can coexist. The award confirms it.
Freeths operates as a top 50 commercial law firm with offices across England. The Manchester base where Brown works forms part of a network serving private and public sector clients. The firm achieved Tommy’s Champion status in 2025 and appeared in Working Families’ Top 30 Employers list the same year. It features in the Legal 500 Green Guide 2026 for sustainability leadership.
The North West Young Professionals Awards will return in 2027. By then, several of the trainees Brown currently mentors may find themselves in contention.
