Regional/Offshore Firm of the Year
This award highlights the UK-based regional or offshore firm (with headquarters outside of London) that has made the most significant progress over the past year in advancing its strategy. Key factors taken into account will be evidence of effective leadership, impressive financial performance and increased market share.
2019 Winner
Ogier
Edward Mackereth
Ogier has a clear target of being known as the most innovative and technologically adventurous offshore firm and in 2018 made considerable progress in making those claims a reality. It is now 92% complete in its goal of training all 500+ of its staff, including 61 partners, in Lean Six Sigma, with two Black Belts leading a firmwide project to find efficiencies and operations across all offices.
Shortlisted
Stevens & Bolton - HIGHLY COMMENDED
Richard King
Continuing its consistently impressive organic growth, South East heavyweight Stevens & Bolton posted a 9% hike in turnover in 2017/18 – its seventh consecutive year of growth – to a record high of £26.8m. Profit per equity partner, meanwhile, also hit new heights, increasing by 25%.
Carey Olsen
Alex Ohlsson
This Channel Islands-based, global offshore player extended its international footprint in 2018 with a significant move into the key market of Bermuda – the firm’s ninth office and fifth legal jurisdiction. This move cements its place as one of the strongest offshore firms.
Gateley
Michael Shaw
Last year AIM-listed firm Gateley made its first legal acquisition since its landmark £30m listing in 2015, buying Surrey-based GCL Solicitors for £4.15m. Three years on from its IPO, Gateley's market cap has nearly doubled, with revenue for the year to 30 April 2018 up 11% to £86.1m.
Mills & Reeve
Claire Clarke
National firm Mills & Reeve enjoyed another stellar year in 2017/18 with turnover rising to a record £106.3m – an increase of 14% on the previous year. As a result of the strong financial performance the firm announced the largest ever all-staff bonus pool of £2m, equivalent to 7% of the firm’s salary bill.
Shepherd and Wedderburn
Stephen Gibb
In 2018 this 250-year old firm confirmed its position as one of Scotland’s leading independents, a position that had been dominated by rivals Brodies and Burness Paull over the previous five years. In fact, it has matched the revenue growth of its larger peers over that period, up 49%.
TLT
David Pester
Years of shrewd leadership by veteran Pester have seen this Bristol-based firm emerge as a key player on the national stage while continuing its steady climb up the LB100. In 2017/18, TLT’s revenue moved up 10% to £82m and its PEP soared by 35%, making it the fourth fastest-growing firm for partner profits in the entire LB100.