PEOPLE IN LAW AWARDS WINNERS 2022
EXCELLENCE IN LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT
Sponsored by: Intelligent Office
Winner: Addleshaw Goddard
The judges were impressed by this L&D programme which aimed to make coaching mainstream and available to help all members of staff. A project that focuses on coaching as creating a positive impact, to support self-reliance and resilience, and to assist staff and firm alike to be the best they can be. The supporting video testimony for the coaching programme was particularly compelling.
Highly Commended: Trowers & Hamlins
BEST HEALTH & WELLBEING INITIATIVE (FOR FIRMS OF UP TO 750 EMPLOYEES)
Winner: Kingsley Napley
A very important initiative to raise awareness of and equip staff to talk openly about two crucial issues affecting their lives and wellbeing. Kingsley Napley has firmly put baby loss and menopause on the agenda for the firm and for all of its people.
BEST HEALTH & WELLBEING INITIATIVE (FOR FIRMS OF OVER 750 EMPLOYEES INCLUDING PARTNERS)
Winner: Pinsent Masons
A very innovative and forward-thinking commitment by Pinsent Masons to enable all talent in a very joined up, inclusive and proactive way. It tackles the imbalance in the work environment, to allow neurodivergent members of staff to thrive equally with those who are neurotypical. A critical initiative.
BEST INTERNAL ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN
Sponsored by: Bowland Software
Winner: Clifford Chance
The judges were impressed by the holistic approach adopted by Clifford Chance in its campaign of cultural change and inclusion. With very clear goals, they used powerful storytelling to engage across the firm to build support, empathy and behaviour change.
Highly Commended: Penningtons Manches Cooper
BEST ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE
Sponsored by: The Sustainable Recruitment Alliance
Winner: TLT
TLT showed clear strategy and promising progress against a three pillar model of sustainable travel, sustainable purchasing and sustainable community; with resources clearly invested in strategy and a strong focus on people engagement. This initiative is an inspiring start and the judges look forward to seeing even more ambitious environmental programmes in law firms develop over the coming years.
BEST SOCIAL MOBILITY INITIATIVE
Winner: Shoosmiths
The judges liked this clever, creative and inventive initiative from Shoosmiths, which made great use of external relationships and was tailored to local markets.
EXCELLENCE IN EQUALITY & INCLUSION
Winner: Mills & Reeve
The judges were impressed by this well-thought out initiative, which was holistic and cross-firm, directly in line with the firm’s strategy, and with external client involvement. A great set of simple yet highly targeted initiatives – simple things done effectively with very positive internal and external feedback.
Highly Commended: Shearman & Sterling
BEST INNOVATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
Winner: Clyde & Co
Judges were impressed by the combination of commercial thinking and technological solution, and the placing of the experience of trainee law firm candidates at the very heart of that technology. The tailored feedback, highlighting both strengths and areas for development with suggestions for the individual candidate, was particularly notable.
BEST EARLY TALENT RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN
Winner: Shearman & Sterling
The judges were impressed by this very inspiring, brave and targeted initiative to provide work experience and mentoring opportunities for talented students from the black community, with particular focus on black students from non-traditional or socially disadvantaged backgrounds.
MOST INNOVATIVE PEOPLE INITIATIVE
Sponsored by: Charles Cameron & Associates
Winner: Clifford Chance
LIFT really grabbed the judges with its extremely aspirational scope as a powerful social mobility tool, and developing commercial skills which set candidates from diverse backgrounds on the path to success as a lawyer.
BEST GLOBAL HR INITIATIVE
Winner: Clifford Chance
The judges were impressed by the scale and reach of the Clifford Chance GVI global initiative to improve access to the profession for those from under-represented groups, doing so through a number of collaborations, by ensuring relevance in their market, and by testing their approach with their future trainee cohorts.
Highly Commended: Ashurst
BEST ORGANISATIONAL RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Winner: Shakespeare Martineau
At a time where lots of firms did lots of very good things in their Covid response, the judges were impressed by Shakespeare Martineau’s distinctive commitment to their people by their actions matching their words, with the partners willing to sacrifice their own profit share for the benefit of ongoing sustainability of the business. The firm enjoyed their highest retention rates and continued to grow, despite the significant impact of Covid on the business. The submission was entitled “in it together and in it for long term” and the submission certainly reflected that.
BEST PEOPLE PROFESSIONAL
Winner: Carrie-Ann Odlum, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Carrie-Ann Odlum has shown great commercial acumen, across a wide range of initiatives, creating positive impact while also saving money. She delivered a wellbeing programme, Unmind, that significantly exceeded benchmarks within the market. Carrie-Ann is clearly making a difference within Freshfields, both within the HR team and across the firm.
Highly Commended: Leana Coopoosamy-Pearson, Clifford Chance
RISING STAR
Winner: Carys Philipps- Harries, Macfarlanes
Carys Philipps-Harries is a self-starter who has generated her own ideas and proposed initiatives that she has then seen through to positive, practical and commercial impact, building new systems from scratch and training her colleagues on them, and in the process both saving the firm money and delighting end users.
BEST PEOPLE LEADER
Winner: Wendy Tomlinson, Taylor Wessing
Wendy impressed the judges by having a major strategic influence – at the most senior levels in the firm – on the targeted issue of gender diversity, helping achieve an increase in gender representation amongst partners within a short space of time.
HR TEAM OF THE YEAR (FOR FIRMS OF UP TO 750 EMPLOYEES)
Winner: BDB Pitmans
What particularly impressed the judges was the complexity of the multiple initiatives that BDB Pitmans rolled out in such a short space of time, whilst utilising technology which added to the complexity of delivering and getting the partnership and people on board. This was a phenomenal achievement within the timescale. The judges recognised the challenge within a partnership environment of doing all of these things within a short period of time – which can result in a mixed hit rate – and from the evidence provided, BDB Pitmans seem to have overcome that challenge.
Highly Commended: Napthens
HR TEAM OF THE YEAR (FOR FIRMS OF OVER 750 EMPLOYEES)
Sponsored by: Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing
Winner: Ampa
Fresh, provocative and distinctive in their approach, with initiatives indicating good intentions made real. A brave step by Ampa to remove traditional policies and to move towards a trust based, outcomes-focused approach.
GRAND PRIX
Winner: Pinsent Masons