2018 Daily Business Review Professional Excellence Awards

Litigation Departments of the Year — Small Firms

Open to Law Firms With up to 69 Attorneys

Deadline: March 1

We invite you to participate in the Daily Business Review's new Litigation Departments of the Year — Small Firms awards. The contest has two categories — the top department in general litigation and the top specialty practice groups. The competition is open to law firms with a Florida presence of up to 69 attorneys. We are trying to identify and reward powerhouse practices in our area, and we understand many lawyers and law firms have regional or national practices. We would like you to submit matters led by Florida attorneys, but their cases need not have been filed or tried in the state. We plan to name winners in each category but, depending on the quality of the entries, multiple winners may be named in one group and none in another. Please compose separate submissions for the general and specialty contests and submit all materials via email to [email protected].

For each entry, we are asking you to submit one Word or PDF document with the following:

• A list of cases with brief descriptions of their significance
• An essay of up to 500 words explaining why your firm should win

Basic information

1. GENERAL LITIGATION

Describe 4 or 5 litigation results that demonstrate your department's excellence. This list should include results obtained pretrial, at trial or on appeal. It may include pro bono cases. Please rank them in order of importance. By importance, we mean both significance of the result for your client and contributions made by your lawyers. The results must have occurred between Jan. 1, 2017, and Dec. 31, 2017. Please describe each case in no more than 500 words. Each result must have been achieved by lawyers while they were members of your firm based in Florida. Do not include results achieved by lateral hires when they were working for a different firm. For each result, please include the names of clients, lead partners and opposing counsel, as well as contact information for all involved. Descriptions of results should include specific dollar amounts where relevant but should focus on why the result demonstrates the excellence of your department. Unless otherwise marked, all information submitted will be considered on the record. Note: If your client was represented by more than one firm, please specify your firm's role. In your submission, please name someone at your firm whom we may contact with questions.

Please submit additional information on:

• The size of your firm's litigation department in Florida and firmwide as of Dec. 31, 2017. (Please specify number of partners, associates and other).
• The percentage of your entire firm represented by the litigation department in terms of lawyers and in terms of percentage of overall firm revenue.
• Three client references, including phone numbers or email addresses.
• Describe your firm's biggest litigation loss in the past two years, with names of opposing counsel.
• Give a brief description of three upcoming matters for your firm.
• Write an essay explaining why your firm should be a finalist. Essay should be no longer than 500 words. Tell us why you should win. Factors we're looking for are importance and difficulty of the matters handled; the quality of opposing counsel; ingenuity and diligence. This is no place for false modesty!

2. SPECIALTY PRACTICE AREAS

The specialty contest will award departments focused on:

• Intellectual Property
• Products Liability/Mass Torts
• Labor and Employment
• Insurance
• Real Estate/HOA or OTHER.

You are welcome to compete in more than one specialty category, but separate submissions will be expected for each. Describe 3 or 4 litigation results that demonstrate your department's excellence in this specialty. This list should include both trial and appellate work. The results must have occurred between Jan. 1, 2017, and Dec. 31, 2017. Keep descriptions of each individual case under 500 words. Each result must have been achieved by lawyers while they were members of your firm based in a Florida office. Do not include results achieved by lateral hires when they were working for a different firm. For each result, please include the names of clients, lead partners and opposing counsel, as well as contact information for all involved whenever possible. Descriptions of results should include specific dollar amounts where relevant, but should focus on why the result demonstrates the excellence of your department. Unless otherwise marked, all information submitted will be considered on the record. Note: If your client was represented by more than one firm, please specify your firm's role. In your submission, please name someone at your firm whom we may contact with questions. Please submit additional information on:

• The size of your firm's litigation department in Florida and firmwide as of Dec. 31, 2017. (Please specify number of partners, associates and other).
• The percentage of your entire firm represented by the litigation department in terms of lawyers and in terms of percentage of overall firm revenue.
• Three client references, including phone numbers or e-mail addresses.
• Describe your firm's biggest litigation loss in the past two years, with names of opposing counsel.
• Give a brief description of three upcoming matters for your firm.
• Write an essay explaining why your firm should be a finalist in this specialty area. Essay should be no longer than 500 words. Tell us why you should win. Factors we're looking for are importance and difficulty of the matters handled; the quality of opposing counsel; ingenuity and diligence. This is no place for false modesty! Basic Firm Information Please submit the following sections for your firm.

Please complete separate answers for General Litigation and for each Specialty Category submission. Numbers should be for 2017.

Please include:

• Firm headquarters location
• Firm location office represented in this submission
• Number of litigation partners firmwide
• Number of litigation partners in this office
• Litigation associates firmwide
• Litigation associates in this office

Contact DBR Managing Editor Catherine Wilson at [email protected] with any questions.

Please send nominations by email to [email protected] by March 1.