Welcome to the Manchester Legal Awards

A huge congratulations to all the winners of this year’s Manchester Legal Awards! The caliber of entries blew us away and highlighted the incredible talent across our city’s legal community.

Check out the full list of winners below.

Thank you to everyone who entered this year’s awards – we received more entries than ever before and all were of an exceptionally high standard.

The ceremony brought together more than 600 members of the region’s legal community to celebrate exceptional talent, hard work and achievement across all areas of law. This year’s event celebrated over 83 firms and individuals who were shortlisted in a total of 23 categories.

You can find the full list of winners below.

Charity partner

Media partner

Event host

Marketing partner

2025 awards winners

Congratulations to this year’s winners!

Barrister/KC of the Year

Tom Gosling, 23 Essex Street Chambers

Barristers Chambers of the Year

18 St John Street Chambers

Corporate / Commercial – Team of the Year

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

Corporate Culture & Wellbeing Champions of the Year

Leigh Day

Crime Team of the Year

Olliers Solicitors

Employment Team of the Year

TLT LLP

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Champions of the Year

Gateley

Family Law Team of the Year

Hall Brown Family Law

In-house Team of the Year

Lookers

Law Firm of the Year – Small (1-5 partners)

Venus Legal
Highly Commended: Pearsons Solicitors & Financial Advisers Ltd

Law Firm of the Year – Medium (6-20 partners)

Hudgell Solicitors

Law Firm of the Year – Large (21+ partners)

Brabners

Lifetime Achievement Award

Nick Johnson

Litigation Team of the Year

TLT LLP

Partner of the Year

Stephen Jones, Leigh Day

Personal Injury / Clinical Negligence Team of the Year

Serious Injury Law

Private Client Team of the Year

Private Client Solicitors

Property Team of the Year

Mills & Reeve

Regulatory Team of the Year

DWF Law LLP

Solicitor of the Year

Saoirse DeBont, Irwin Mitchell

Sustainability Champions of the Year

Irwin Mitchell

Trainee / Paralegal / Apprentice / Legal Executive of the Year

Isabella Lloyd, Duncan Lewis Solicitors

Unsung Hero of the Year

Cath Garner, Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

The Judges

We have selected a panel of highly successful and well respected individuals from the business, legal and academic community across the North West.

Alison Loveday

pro-manchester

Deborah Walker

Manchester Building Society

Edward Smethurst

Prosperity Law LLP

Fiona Ledden

Manchester City Council

HHJ John Potter

Manchester Crown Court

HHJ Nicholas Dean KC

Honorary Recorder of Manchester Resident Judge, Crown Court at Manchester

John Hyde

Law Society Gazette

Lisa Wright

Menopause the Wright Way (MtWW)

Martyn Best

Document Direct & Legal RSS

Matthew Curtis

BPP Manchester

Michael Taylor

TheBusinessDesk.com

Mike Ode

Potential Unearthed

Phil Wedgwood

Engage

Rachel Stevens

University of Law

Ruth Shearn

RMS PR Marketing & Design

Sam Booth

pro-manchester

Victoria Richardson

RMS PR Marketing & Design

“It is an absolute privilege to judge these awards. The legal talent displayed by firms of all sizes is truly astonishing. It’s so lovely to see the winners clutching their awards on the big night!”

Ruth Shearn
Judge and founder, RMS PR Marketing & Design

“A tremendously energetic and fun way to celebrate the incredible presence of the legal sector in the city region. Behind the raucous pursuit of fun and frivolity is a deadly serious and very thorough judging process to decide who wins. Quite frankly, I’ve never been to an awards event quite like it.”

Michael Taylor
Editor, The Business Desk

“Always a fabulous event.”

Ruth Peters
Business development director, Olliers

“When we found out we’d been shortlisted, there was a spontaneous round of applause in the office. It was super.”

Sara Barrett
Partner, Mills & Reeve

“To say it’s the highlight of our year wouldn’t be overplaying the importance of this occasion.”

Richard Bacon
Head of sales and business development, Shard Capital

“We were delighted to win, especially given the other fantastic firms we were up against.”

Clare Campbell
Partner, Leigh Day

“I’m over the moon and really proud. I couldn’t be happier.”

Jack Trowsdale
Paralegal, DWF

“These awards epitomise everything that’s great about Manchester.”

Andrew Francis
Sponsor and deputy pro-vice chancellor, Manchester Law School

“We do some very difficult and emotive work.I’m very honoured and deeply touched to have received this award.”

Kelly Darlington
Farleys

“We’ve been nominated three times and are absolutely delighted to have won this year. It’s amazing and we are ecstatic.”

Iwona Durlak
Senior partner, IMD Solicitors

“It’s a major deal to be shortlisted, let alone win. Manchester is a hardcore legal centre and we’re thrilled to have won.”

James Brown
Senior partner, Hall Brown Family Law

“The most vibrant and packed awards event I’ve ever been to. It’s fantastic.”

Ele Lovering
Senior partner, Evershed Sutherland

“The awards recognise and celebrate the best legal talent. As a legal recruiter, I have the pleasure to witness the breadth of talent in the north west and it’s incredible we have an event which celebrates and brings the legal community together.”

Louis Rosenthal
Sponsor and managing director, Interlink Recruitment

“Really good to celebrate the talent we’ve got in Manchester.”

Carol Spiller
Partner, Weightmans