Law.com is accepting nominations for our first annual New England Legal Awards, celebrating professional excellence in law in Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
The deadline for submissions has been extended to June 9. Award winners will be announced mid-July, and our awards gala dinner will be held in September.
Please see guidelines below for nominations in each category, but please note that these are not all the materials/responses required for submission. You can view category descriptions at the New England Legal Awards event site. For the entire entry form, please visit the New England Legal Awards submissions portal to see specific questions.
Lifetime Achievement Awards
Please tell us in up to 500 words about anyone living who has left a lasting imprint on the legal community in New England.This category is open to a wide range of practice areas, including public and private sector; from big and small firms and corporate legal departments from all regions. To nominate yourself, a friend or colleague, please submit a nomination.
- What inspired you to become a lawyer, and what keeps you inspired?
- Please describe work on a recent case or issue that has made you proud.
- What qualities should a lawyer possess to become a successful and effective leader?
Attorney of the Year
Open to all firms and lawyers.This award goes to an attorney who has had outstanding success or achievement in 2022.This can take the form of litigation or pro bono efforts, effective advocacy for legislation or social causes, tangible achievements in leadership roles in bar organizations or another significant impact on the legal community. To nominate yourself, a friend or colleague, please submit a nomination.
- What led you to become a lawyer, and what keeps you inspired today?
- Please describe work on a recent case or issue that has made you proud to be a lawyer.
- What qualities should a lawyer possess to become a successful and effective leader?
New Leaders in the Law
Open to all firms. We’re looking to spotlight lawyers under age 40 by the submission deadline who have excelled in the courtroom, in client service and cultivation, service to bar associations and/or pro bono work or community service. It’s important to note that nominees need not excel in every one of these areas; just one or two will suffice. Please tell us in up to 500 words why the nominee should be named one of the 2023 New Leaders in the Law. Please include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi.
- What are the biggest challenges you have faced in becoming an attorney?
- Who or what has inspired you to stay on track and realize your goal of becoming a lawyer?
- What goals have you set for yourself in the years ahead?
Litigation Departments of the Year
The New England Legal Awards Litigation Departments of the Year contest is open to any litigation law firm with a New England presence. New England lawyers must have had a significant impact on the work being presented, though the work can be local or global in scope. Because many lawyers and firms have regional or national practices, we will take into account cases handled by New England attorneys in out-of-state and federal courts.
The contest has two distinct categories:
- Awards for the top overall litigation departments
- Separate honors for departments that handle specialty litigation practice areas that may include:
- Appellate
- Intellectual Property
- Products Liability/Mass Torts
- Labor and Employment
- Insurance
- Commercial Litigation
- Family Law
- Business Litigation
- Arbitration/ Mediation Services
- Personal Injury
- White Collar/Corporate Compliance
- Probate
- solo litigation practice
- other
You may compete in the overall category, any number of specialty categories, or a combination of the overall and specialty categories. Depending on the number and quality of entries, there may be multiple award winners in some categories. We also reserve the right to determine the final categories. To nominate a firm, please submit a nomination.
Legal Innovators & Disrupters
Lawyers and firms in New England that have broken the mold in the accomplishment of significant industry improvements. Nominations are open to attorneys and practice groups who have used new and innovative tactics to achieve goals.
- How has innovation helped you in your work during the past year?
- Where are innovations still needed in the field of law?
Outstanding Officiators
Is there a judge, or retired judge practicing as a mediator or arbitrator (including ADR professionals and sitting jurists), doing exceptionally poignant and effective work? Tell us which officiator went above and beyond the call of duty to be fair and judicious. To nominate yourself, a friend or colleague, please submit a nomination.
- Please describe a case in which you were particularly satisfied with a decision you made?
- What is the most important aspect of maintaining the right frame of mind for a judge?
- What is your best advice to lawyers appearing before the court?
Social Impact (diversity, pro bono, ESG, public service, public sector)
Attorneys who have had an impact through community improvement efforts on behalf of client populations in need. Work can be pro bono and/or in the public sector in concert with programs aimed at diversity, environment and social justice or public service.
- What are your proudest accomplishments in the area of diversity and inclusion in law?
- What are the greatest diversity and inclusion challenges today for Connecticut firms?
- How have D&I initiatives improved Connecticut’s legal industry?
Unsung Hero
Choose an attorney who has gone unnoticed for, or worked behind the scenes on, particularly important work. Attorneys must be from firms with fewer than 200 lawyers. To nominate yourself, a friend or colleague, please submit a nomination.
- Please describe an aspect of your work that has made you proud of your job.
- Who or what has inspired you to become a better attorney during your career?
- What changes would you like to see happen in the field of law in the coming years?
Best Mentors
Succession planning is crucial for midsize and small firms. In addition, more and more young lawyers are being drawn to these firms for the opportunity to get hands-on legal training. Best Mentors honors those more senior attorneys who have taken it upon themselves to prepare the next generation of leaders. We are looking for a sage here, someone who has provided valuable knowledge to younger attorneys, paving the way for advancement and stellar contributions to the industry. Attorneys must be from firms with fewer than 200 lawyers. To nominate yourself, a friend or colleague, please submit a nomination.
- What are the most important qualities a lawyer should have to be successful?
- How do you grow from being a great attorney to being great at helping others succeed?
- What type of mentorship is most in demand today from newer lawyers?
In-House Impact: In-House Departments of the Year
The New England Legal Awards will honor top legal departments in New England. To be considered for the awards, send us an essay to nominate a corporate legal department that is New England-situated or with a nexus to New England. Anyone is welcome to submit a nomination, including law firms and the legal departments themselves. The questions are grouped into six (6) categories, and a separate award will be given for each. Answers may be in all six categories, or you may confine your answers to one specific category or more.
In-House Impact: Individuals
This recognizes an in-house lawyer who had a significant accomplishment in 2022. To nominate yourself, a friend or colleague, please submit a nomination with an essay to nominate in-house counsel that is New England-situated or with a nexus to New England. Anyone is welcome to submit a nomination, including law firms and the legal departments themselves.
If you have any questions, please contact managing editor Michael Marciano at [email protected] or Recognition Desk manager Pearl Wu at [email protected].
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
