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.