This award showcased cutting edge business practice and client service by innovative teams. This ranged from original approaches to standardisation or commoditisation, to the creation of new services or means of delivery to meet clients' needs.
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.
Shortlisted: Birmingham City Council Legal Services (Birmingham)
Birmingham City Council Legal Services worked with the police and other agencies, with the use of civil law, to secure civil injunctions against offenders in the city. This helped to give witnesses confidence in coming forward and resulted in a decrease in the number of offences committed.
Shortlisted: First Law Limited (London)
First Law Limited were the only firm advising on the conduct of competitive tender exercises for legal services. Judges were impressed that the firm identified a niche market by providing local authorities with the necessary research in order to make informed decisions when seeking tenders.
Shortlisted: Leeds Legal (Leeds)
Leeds Legal was designed to highlight Leeds as the largest legal centre, outside of London . Its objectives are to attract more national and international clients to the city and to recruit and retain the best legal talent to the city's law firms. The judges were impressed with this marketing initiative which demonstrates a community joining together.
Shortlisted: Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP (London)
Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP developed a unique internet based service that allowed reinsurers to make rapid automated scans of reinsurance contracts for legal risks. The service also allowed reinsurers to review and evaluate contracts they were presented with using a benchmarking system to compare and contrast component clauses used within standard reinsurance contracts. The judges were impressed with the innovative use of technology to this specialist area.
Shortlisted: Scott-Moncrieff, Harbour & Sinclair (London)
Scott-Moncrieff, Harbour & Sinclair undertook publicly funded work and devised a business model that saved on administration, thereby increasing the number of cases worked on. The judges were impressed by their commitment to meeting the needs of vulnerable people by implementing this model.
Shortlisted: Thring Townsend Lee & Pembertons
This firm with offices based in Bath, Bristol, London and Swindon demonstrated a real commitment to Lexcel. Since receiving this accreditation it has changed the culture of the firm. Staff at all levels are involved and thrive on providing the best possible client care. The judges were impressed that following an independent risk audit the firm are in the process of building an IT package on risk management.