Ashurst, White & Case and Gateley were among the law firms winning the top awards at The British Legal Awards on Thursday night, which celebrated the legal sector’s finest achievements of the past year.

Ashurst saw off strong competition from an elite line-up of nominees, including Kirkland & Ellis and Travers Smith, to be crowned this year’s Law Firm of the Year, with judges hailing the firm’s soaring revenues, international growth and recent reinvigoration.