The shortlist for this year’s Legal 500 UK ESG Awards has been unveiled, with A&O Shearman, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer and Norton Rose Fulbright among the firms securing the most nominations.
The awards, now in their third year, recognise ESG initiatives across the legal profession, spanning private practice, in-house and the Bar, highlighting initiatives covering sustainability and neurodiversity to social mobility and ESG client work.
A&O Shearman leads the field with 10 shortlistings, including a double nomination for disputes counsel Alastair Livesey and senior associate Josh Little, who co‑chair the firm’s London LGBTQ+ network, and a shortlisting in Best Internal Support Network, one of several new categories this year.
The firm is also prominently featured in the practice awards, which cover ESG sectors such as clean energy, sustainable finance, and business and human rights.
HSF Kramer has a total of nine shortlistings, including two categories that are new this year – ESG Client Service Firm of the Year, which recognises the law firms ESG practice that received the highest client service scores in Legal 500 research, and Green Ambassador of the Year – one of two nominations for Silke Goldberg, the firm’s global head of ESG/sustainability.
The Green Ambassador of the Year category will recognise one standout individual drawn from Legal 500’s Green Ambassadors research, which identifies the lawyers leading client work supporting decarbonisation and the green transition.
Womble Bond Dickinson and Norton Rose Fulbright both have seven nominations, with NRF disputes partner Stuart Neely among a six-strong shortlist for ESG Client Partner of the Year, which will recognise the partner with the strongest client endorsement during Legal 500’s 2025 ESG research.
Other firms with multiple nominations include RPC, Linklaters, DLA Piper and Shoosmiths, while in-house contenders include Monzo chief legal officer Stephanie Pagni, Haleon assistant GC, sustainability & ESG Rebecca Danby and E.ON UK general counsel Kirin Kalsi, all of who are in line for ESG: In-house Champion of the Year.
Energy giant E.ON has a total of five nominations, with the company’s legal team also represented across categories including Disability/Neurodiversity: Champion of the Year and Environmental/Sustainability Initiative of the Year.
From the Bar, nominees include Fountain Court’s Philip Ahlquist, Church Court’s Creanna Dodson and Bar Council Chair Barbara Mills KC of 4PB, with Garden Court’s Oscar Davies – the winner of 2024’s LGBTQ+: Champion of the Year award – once again nominated in that category.
The winners will be announced on 30 April at the awards ceremony at InterContinental London Park Lane.
Visit the awards website to view the full shortlist. For sponsorship enquiries and table sales, please contact [email protected].
