The judges singled out SJ Berwin’s work advising on the £127m acquisition of Milton Gate in the City of London for the complexity of the work and its unusual financing.

The team, which was led by partner David Ryland, advised investment house Evans Randall on its joint venture with Al Salam Bank, a Bahrain-based Islamic bank, to acquire and finance Addleshaw Goddard’s new 200,000 sq ft City offices. It was one of the largest City of London office transactions this year.