Votes have been cast and counted, and the winners of the prestigious 2008 PLC Which lawyer? Awards have been decided. This year’s Awards were extended to cover eleven regional categories alongside the overall International Law Firm of the Year.
Over 5,500 in-house counsel from across the globe, as listed in Law Department Profiles, were invited to vote for the most exceptional law firms in each category. Voters were free to pick their own winners or choose from the nominees suggested by the PLC Which lawyer? team*. The winners are those firms with the most votes from in-house counsel in each category.
*These nominees are based on firms’ regional scores after aggregating their PLC Which lawyer? rankings for each jurisdiction, as at 31 January 2008. The exceptions are: Northern Europe, where the top firms in each jurisdiction have been nominated; Africa, where nominees are all based in South Africa, and Latin America, where affiliated groups also qualify as nominees.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263398) beat off stiff competition to keep hold of its title in this category for a second year. The firm was flooded with praise from in-house counsel impressed by its “highest professionalism, fantastic scope of specialists and very good cooperation among its offices”, and its “consistently good advice… from people with skill and a sense of humour”. One voter explained quite simply why this firm garnered their vote: “They are Freshfields!”
Joint runners-up Linklaters (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263419) and DLA Piper (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263508) are also highly rated by in-house counsel. Linklaters is regarded as “professional, client oriented with none of the normal City arrogance” and wins recognition for the “expansion of the practice from its traditional areas of strength”, while DLA Piper is singled out for its “excellent and prompt services” as well as “responsiveness, good judgment and good coverage”.
Baker & McKenzie (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263478) wins this award by a clear margin, attracting one fifth of the total votes. Described as delivering a “consistently good performance”, the firm was also lauded for its “quick response time, good business sense and very effective network”.
Last year’s winner, CMS Cameron McKenna (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20264347), ties with Allen & Overy (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263374) as this year’s runner-up. CMS earns top marks for the “cohesion of work between its CEE offices”, while Allen & Overy’s regional offices are commended for providing “western-like approach and high level standards anywhere”.
RoschierRaidla (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20265331) scoops this award, thanks to its excellent reputation across the region. In-house counsel highlight the firm’s “professional high quality service with outstanding customer insight and interest in [the client’s] business. They make an in-house team look good”.
Joint runners-up are Swedish firm Mannheimer Swartling (last year’s winner) and Danish firm Kromann Reumert (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20264299). According to one in-house counsel, the latter provides “the most extended variety of legal expertise at the highest possible level”. Mannheimer continues to impress with its “practical and efficient service, and good footprint outside the Nordic Area”.
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20904006) edged ahead of its rivals to triumph in this category for the second consecutive year. Comments from in-house counsel include “it really is the best firm” and “their lawyers are smart, responsive and deliver excellent work product under time pressure”.
The battle for second position was won by three firms that received an equal number of votes: Greenberg Traurig (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20267635) (“understands client needs and perspective”), Weil Gotshal & Manges (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263466) (“great technical expertise”) and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20267635) (“excellent client support”). The latter was the most voted-for non-nominee of the Awards overall.
Baker & McKenzie (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263478) emerged as a clear winner in this category, receiving the support of one third of all voters. In-house counsel value the firm’s “good reach and results”.
Runner-up and last year’s winner Uría Menéndez (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20264757)’s network continues to impress clients with its “professionalism, high commitment and dedication”.
Baker & McKenzie (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263478) wins this award for the second year in a row, surpassing rivals by a sizeable margin. In-house counsel were full of praise for the firm’s regional practice: “We were served well - in the right time, at the right price, the way we needed it”; “…we started using them 7 years ago. They have dealt with everything thrown at them since (banking, tax, litigation, commercial)”.
Runner-up Herbert Smith (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263407) is a longstanding and prominent player in the region, renowned in particular for its excellence in dispute resolution and corporate matters, among other areas.
Blake Dawson (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20266305) triumphs in this category, new to the Awards this year. The Australian firm is renowned for its “sound commercial advice”.
Minter Ellison (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263438) takes second place, narrowly losing out to the winner. The firm’s network of offices across Australia and New Zealand are known for their high quality expertise.
Blake Cassels & Graydon (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20266299) was voted the top Canadian law firm by one fifth of all in-house counsel respondents. The firm’s success is attributed to its “rapid response in dealing with complex issues”.
Three firms are tied in second place: Borden Ladner Gervais (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20269012), Fraser Milner Casgrain (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20268836) and McCarthy Tétrault (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20270947). All received votes from Canadian and international clients, a testimony to their excellent reputations.
South African firm Bowman Gilfillan (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20271687) wins this award, another new regional category this year. The firm is described by in-house counsel as “always outstanding”.
Joint runners-up are Deneys Reitz (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20266413) and the recently expanded Webber Wentzel incorporating Mallinicks (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20272506), both of which were praised for their diversity and quality of advice.
Baker & McKenzie (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263478) claims first place in this region, another new addition to this year’s Awards. The firm’s international network is seen as a major asset to its regional practice, and in-house counsel rate the firm’s “helpful” approach and “good results”.
Regional firm Al Tamimi & Co (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20265596) was a hugely popular choice among in-house counsel, outrunning other international rivals and only narrowly missing out to the winner. The firm has an excellent reputation in the UAE and Qatar.
Maples & Calder (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20264512) is the winner of this regional award, another new category this year. The firm has cultivated an excellent reputation in the major offshore centres, straddling the BVI, Cayman Islands and the Channel Islands.
Ogier (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263695) (“pure professionalism and service - cannot be beaten”) and Conyers Dill Pearman (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20267801) (“our counsel of choice in Bermuda”) are joint runner-ups.
After a close contest, Baker & McKenzie (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263478) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263398) emerge as joint victors in the overall international category this year. The former is esteemed for its “great coverage” while the latter is seen as being synonymous with quality.
Clifford Chance (www.practicallaw.com/resource.do?item=:20263368) is runner-up for the second consecutive year. In-house counsel highlight the firm’s strengths, including “impressive results, direction, clear strategy and sector leadership” and “breadth and depth of coverage”.