The submission period is open for The American Lawyer Industry Awards, where we look to honor the exceptional work being done across the entire legal services industry.

These awards combine our prestigious Lifetime Achievement and Distinguished Law Firm Leader Awards with newer categories that reflect the increasing interconnectedness of the legal industry. Apply for Best Law Firm of the Year, Attorney of the Year, Best Law Company, Best Use of Technology, Best Law Firm-Client Team, Legal Services Innovation, Best Business Team, Best National/Specialty Boutique of the Year, Regional Litigation Departments of the Year and Best Mentors for Law Firms and In-House.

We have a new, streamlined system this year to apply for these awards!

The deadlines have been extended as follows:

  • Regional Litigation/National Boutique extended to May 1
  • Best Law Firm and AOTY extended to June 15
  • Other categories extended to May 15

More information on who should apply and what the judges will be looking for can be found in the link above as well as in the descriptions below. Email [email protected] or [email protected] with any questions.

Calls for nominations for our Global Legal Awards and the national Litigation Department of the Year Awards will be coming separately later in the year.

Award Descriptions

Award: Lifetime Achievement

Who Should Apply: Nominees can come from all corners of the legal profession, whether it be a law firm, in-house legal department, government, public interest, education, alternative legal service providers, etc. They should be nearing the end of their career.

Award Description: The distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award will honor those professionals who have left an indelible mark on the legal profession through their substantive area of work as well as a strong public service component, whether that be through government work, diversity and inclusion efforts or some other form of public service. This is an elite award and the bar is set high. We will honor no more than seven individuals.

Deadline: May 15, 2019

Materials required: No more than one page describing why this individual deserves this highly selective honor. Describe their work and public service and how it has left a mark on the profession. A Word or PDF document is accepted. Please do not submit more than two nominations per firm/organization/company.

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Award: Law Firm Distinguished Leader

Who Should Apply: A current or former law firm managing partner, chair or other firmwide leader nearing the end of their career.

Award Description: This award is given to someone who has transformed their firm and whose leadership will leave its mark well beyond their tenure.

Deadline: May 15, 2019

Materials required: No more than one page describing how the individual has changed and improved their firm in a meaningful way. A Word or PDF document is accepted. Please do not submit more than two nominations per firm/organization/company.

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Award: Best Law Firm of the Year

Who Should Apply: Any Am Law 200/Global 100 firm

Award Description: This prestigious award goes to a law firm that has had an exceptional year across its service offerings, netting big wins but also showing a commitment to and progress in an area not solely related to their practice, such as pro bono, diversity or innovation in how legal services are delivered. This award covers the time frame from January 2018 through the date of submission.  

Deadline: June 15, 2019

Materials required: A document briefly describing why the firm had such a successful year (no more than 500 words for the essay portion). Also include up to 3-6 examples of client matters (across any practice area) that demonstrate the firm's prowess in its service offerings and ability to handle its clients' most serious issues. Explain why the matters were so impactful. Additionally, include evidence of how the firm made strides in an area not related to their practice (see award description above). Any data to support the submission criteria is encouraged. Also please include a contact for firm leadership.  

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Award: Attorney of the Year

Who Should Apply: Any attorney from any part of the legal industry, whether it be law firm, in-house legal department, public interest, government, education or elsewhere, that has made a profound impact in the profession or community. Tenure in the profession is irrelevant to this award.

Award Description: This award goes beyond success in their practice, but rather honors a lawyer who has perhaps changed an area of law, reshaped their institution or an industry, accomplished something of great public service or otherwise made a lasting impact within the time frame for this award, which is January 2018 through the submission deadline.

Deadline: June 15, 2019

Materials required: Please submit no more than one page describing why this individual is deserving of the esteemed honor, giving detailed explanations of how they had such a significant impact in the last year. A Word or PDF document is acceptable. Please do not submit more than two nominations per firm/organization/company.

Award: Legal Services Innovation Award

Who Should Apply: Any Am Law 200/Global 100 law firm

Award Description: This award is given to a law firm that has made significant strides in the last two years (2017 and 2018) to innovate how it delivers legal services. This could be through an impactful individual program run through a certain practice area or firmwide, to a full revamping of the firm's processes. This award will honor a law firm that has changed the way it does business to better deliver value to the client.

Deadline: May 15, 2019

Materials required: A brief description (no more than two pages) of how the firm demonstrated true innovation to its legal services delivery model. Supporting documents are allowed. Any data to show the impact of the innovation is encouraged. Client testimonials are also welcome. A Word or PDF document is accepted.

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Award: Best Use of Technology

Who Should Apply: Any Am Law 200/Global 100 law firm

Award Description: This award, which is different from our Legal Services Innovation award, is focused on the implementation of technology within a law firm to either improve the delivery of legal services, improve efficiency in internal or client-facing operations, improve work-life balance, etc.

Deadline: May 15, 2019

Materials required: A brief description (no more than two pages) of how technology was implemented in the last two years (since early 2017) to improve life at the firm or for clients, with any data to support the technology's impact and efficacy. Internal or external testimonials are welcome. Also explain whether this technology was developed internally or externally. Supporting documentation is accepted. A Word or PDF document is accepted.

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Award: Best Alternative Legal Services Provider

Who Should Apply: Any provider of legal services outside of the traditional law firm model.

Award Description: This award will honor a player in the alternative legal services space that has made a significant impact since Jan. 1, 2018, on how legal services were delivered.

Deadline: May 15, 2019

Materials required: A brief (no more than two pages) description of why your organization has made an impact in the ALSP space, including concrete examples and any data that supports the impact the organization has had. Client testimonials are welcome. A Word or PDF document is accepted. Supporting materials are also accepted.

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Award: Best Client Law-Firm Team

Who Should Apply: Any Am Law 200/Global 100 firm or legal department (likely in conjunction)

Award Description: This award honors a relationship and arrangement between a law firm and client that exemplifies a true partnership that drives value for both sides. Examples may be related to fee arrangements, secondments, training, or the many other ways the pair may have creatively structured their working arrangement.

Deadline: May 15, 2019

Materials required: A brief (no more than two pages) description of why the arrangement is unique and beneficial. Please give details of how long the parties have worked together, on what types of matters and how that relationship is structured. Give examples of the ways the parties work together, how they help one another and why each finds the relationship unique and beneficial. Please do not submit more than two nominations per firm/organization/company.

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Award: Best Business Team

Who Should Apply: Am Law 200/Global 100 Firms Only

Award Description: The role of the business professional within a law firm is growing in number and importance. This award honors those teams that have been allowed to, and have had, an identifiable impact on their organization, from how it is run to the client work they have brought in and anything in between. It covers their work from January 2017 through the present.

Deadline: May 15, 2019

Materials required: A brief description (no more than two pages) of who is part of the business team, how they are empowered to make an impact on their organization and how they have done so. Any data to support their efforts is encouraged. Client testimonials or other supporting documents are also welcome. A Word or PDF document is accepted. Please do not submit more than two nominations per firm/organization/company.

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Award: Best Mentor: Law Firm

Who Should Apply: Any lawyer or staff professional within an Am Law 200/Global 100 firm.

Award Description: This award will honor someone who has dedicated a significant portion of their time and energy to mentoring younger professionals. This could be demonstrated through the lawyer or professional's deep commitment to an individual or through mentoring a litany of younger professionals over their career. Please do not submit more than two nominations per firm/organization/company.

Deadline: May 15, 2019

Materials required: A brief description (no more than two pages) of how the lawyer has shown his or her dedication to mentoring. This award has no time parameters for when the mentoring was done. Please include specific examples of mentoring and anything that shows its impact. Testimonials from mentees are welcome. A Word or PDF document is accepted.

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Award: Best Mentor: In-House Legal Department

Who Should Apply: Any lawyer or staff professional working in an in-house legal department.

Award Description: This award will honor someone who has dedicated a significant portion of their time and energy to mentoring younger professionals. This could be demonstrated through the lawyer or professional's deep commitment to an individual or through mentoring a litany of younger professionals over their career.

Deadline: May 15, 2019

Materials required: A brief description (no more than two pages) of how the lawyer has shown his or her dedication to mentoring. This award has no time parameters for when the mentoring was done. Please include specific examples of mentoring and anything that shows its impact. Testimonials from mentees are welcome. A Word or PDF document is accepted. Please do not submit more than two nominations per firm/organization/company.

REGIONAL LITIGATION DEPARTMENTS OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Am Law 200/Global 100 law firms can apply for our regional Litigation Department of the Year Awards for work performed by lawyers in the following jurisdictions: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Connecticut. These awards recognize the best litigation department in each jurisdiction, but the work can be done outside the jurisdiction as long as lawyers from the jurisdiction were substantially involved. Their roles should be explained in the submission.

There is one survey for all 7 regions.  

Submission Deadline: May 1, 2019

Materials Required:

  • Write an essay of no more than 500 words explaining why your firm should be a finalist.
  • Select up to 7 litigation results that demonstrate the excellence of your litigation department in that jurisdiction. Submissions must include one pro bono matter as part of the total 7 matters. Please limit the narrative description of each result to 400 words. Please be clear how this matter was significant to your client. Winning entries will demonstrate not necessarily a high dollar-figure (though they may), but work on high-stakes matters, the setting of important precedent and/or unique/exceptional lawyering.
  • Do not include results achieved by lateral hires when they were working at other firms.
  • These results must have occurred from August 1, 2017, through the contest submission period.
  • Please include full case names and docket numbers for all cases mentioned. Also include opposing counsel as well as the names of the lawyers in your firm who led the matters.
  • Please include 3 new matters to be handled by lawyers in the relevant jurisdiction. They should be matters taken on after Nov. 1, 2018. Just name the client, issue at stake and firm's expected role.
  • Please name the biggest litigation loss for the group since August 1, 2017.
  • Firm information: please include the size of the firm's litigation department in the relevant jurisdiction as of April 1, 2019, specifying the number of partners, associates and other counsel. Please include the percentage of your entire firm represented by the litigation department in the relevant jurisdiction. Please include the percentage of overall firm revenue generated by the litigation group in the relevant jurisdiction.
  • Please list two client references and their contact information.

National Boutique/Specialty Litigation Department of the Year

This award is for national boutique/specialty firms focused on litigation, including IP litigation. This award recognizes the best boutique firm litigation department for work handled from August 1, 2017 through the contest submission period of May 1, 2019.

Submission Deadline: May 1, 2019

Materials Required:

  • Write an essay of no more than 500 words explaining why your firm should be a finalist.
  • Select up to 7 litigation results that demonstrate the excellence of your litigation department. Please limit the narrative description of each result to 400 words. Please be clear how this matter was significant to your client. Winning entries will demonstrate not necessarily a high dollar-figure (though they may), but work on high-stakes matters, the setting of important precedent and/or unique/exceptional lawyering.
  • Do not include results achieved by lateral hires when they were working at other firms.
  • These results must have occurred from August 1, 2017, through the contest submission period.
  • Please include full case names and docket numbers for all cases mentioned. Also include opposing counsel as well as the names of the lawyers in your firm who led the matters.
  • Please include 3 new matters to be handled by your firm. They should be matters taken on after Nov. 1, 2018. Just name the client, issue at stake and firm's expected role.
  • Please name the biggest litigation loss for the firm since August 1, 2017.
  • Firm information: please include the size of the firm's litigation department as of April 1, 2019, specifying the number of partners, associates and other counsel. Please include the percentage of your entire firm represented by the litigation department. Please include the percentage of overall firm revenue generated by the litigation group.
  • Please list two client references and their contact information.