Finalists: Clare Dundon, Hogan Lovells • Eleanor Murray, CMS Cameron McKenna (highly commended) • Paul Hargreaves, Walker Morris • Sui-Jim Ho, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton (highly commended) • Thomas Piper, Faegre Baker Daniels • William Lowery, Covington & Burling

The award for Associate of the Year went to Michelmores education specialist Charlotte Antoniou – "what she is doing at four years' PQE is impressive," said the judges.

The thirty-year-old associate joined Michelmores in 2013 and has advised on more than 150 academy conversions and has acted for over 50 free school proposers. She heads Michelmores' national schools practice and leads on a significant amount of business development, consistently exceeding her financial targets.