Welcome back to About the Awards, our series of chats with ALM Media editors offering insight into our judging process for ALM Recognition Events. We invite you to use this information as a guide as you draft your submissions, and we welcome any additional questions you may have.

For more information about the awards this year, please visit the Southeastern Legal Awards site. The deadline for submissions is March 1. 

Michael, can you tell us more about yourself?

Yes I can. I am a regional managing editor at ALM. In March I'll be starting my eighth year at the company, overseeing content for the Daily Report and the Connecticut Law Tribune. I've been the host of the Connecticut and New England Legal Awards six times, and I'm excited to say this will be my first year handling duties for the Southeastern Legal Awards.

As for the Southeastern Legal Awards, is this a new contest?

It's new for me, but not for you. This is the second year of the Southeastern Legal Awards, which significantly grew last year to include submissions from more states in the Southeast, in addition to Georgia, where we've presented these awards for many years. 

Which states do the Southeastern Legal Awards cover?

Georgia, North and South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee.

Are there any new categories this year? Can you tell us about them?

Our new categories this year are Young Lawyer of the Year and Managing Partner of the Year, so we're looking at both ends of the experience spectrum, and everything in-between. We're happy to recognize both emerging talent and more advanced leaders who have made a difference at their firms and in the law. 

Do attorneys need to be licensed to practice in these aforementioned states to qualify for this contest? 

Generally speaking the answer is yes, but we have certain categories, like Best Mentors and Unsung Heroes, which could be open to non-attorneys, depending on the individual submissions. 

How many nominations can a firm submit for each category?

There is no limit, but I would say use your best judgment when submitting.

Who should be interested in submitting nominations for this contest?

This contest is open to any lawyer or firm representative in our coverage areas who wants to highlight their own work or the contributions of others and their teams. Non-attorneys may also wish to nominate lawyers or firms who they feel have provided exemplary counsel.

Who is judging this contest?

I will lead an editorial team at ALM who will carefully review all submissions, and we'll be joined by a panel of external judges for the On the Rise category. 

What are the judges looking for?

Experience and innovation are key, but there are also categories that focus on results. We'll have a short Q&A next week with our 2023 judges to elaborate on the process.

The deadline for submissions for this year's Southeastern Legal Awards is March 1.

For more information about these awards and other Recognition Events awards, please contact Recognition Events desk manager Pearl Wu at [email protected].