Dentons, Cooley and Pinsent Masons were among the law firms claiming big prizes at the second annual Legal Week Innovation Awards today (27 May).

A host of firms of all shapes and sizes were recognised for new thinking in legal services at the ceremony at The Brewery in London, with Pinsents winning two awards and Dentons and Cooley jointly awarded the International Law Firm Innovation prize.

Dentons was recognised for its efforts to carve out a niche in the legal tech space via the launch of its own technology investment arm, NextLaw Labs. Cooley, meanwhile, was chosen by the judges for its launch of an online resource centre for entrepreneurs in London, building on the US firm's Silicon Valley experience.

Pinsents took home two awards – for diversity, and PR and communications – while Wiggin was also the recipient of a big award, winning in the Future of Legal Services Innovation category for the creation of a technology company to help clients identify online sales of counterfeit goods and take action.

The Outstanding Individual Innovator award was handed to Schillings COO and partner Christopher Mills, who has been instrumental in reinventing the firm from a defamation boutique to a reputation defence business.

The award for In-house Legal Department Innovation went to Carillion, which has created a business selling managed legal services to external clients, while flexible lawyer service LOD took the award for ABS Innovation.

Full list of winners

Outstanding Innovator
Christopher Mills, Schillings

Future of Legal Services Innovation
Winner: Wiggin
Highly commended: Kennedys

International Law Firm Innovation
Joint winner: Cooley and Dentons
Highly commended: Reed Smith

ABS Innovation
Winner: LOD

In-house Legal Department Innovation
Winner: Carillion
Highly commended: Vodafone

Chambers Innovation
Winner: Hardwicke
Highly commended: Serjeants' Inn Chambers

Diversity Innovation
Winner: Pinsent Masons
Highly commended: Mayer Brown

CSR Innovation
Winner: Allen & Overy, DLA Piper, Coram Children's Legal Centre
Joint highly commended: Capsticks and Weightmans

Business Development Innovation
Winner: Taylor Wessing
Highly commended: Kemp Little

Marketing Innovation
Winner: Obelisk Support
Highly commended: RPC

PR and Communications Innovation
Winner: Pinsent Masons
Highly commended: CMS

Client Management Innovation
Winner: Weightmans

Knowledge Management Innovation
Winner: Norton Rose Fulbright

Human Resources Innovation
Winner: Mayer Brown
Highly commended: Hogan Lovells

Training Innovation
Winner: O'Melveny & Myers
Highly commended: Paul Hastings

Supplier Innovation – Services
Winner: Lexstep.com
Highly commended: CILEx Law School

Supplier Innovation – Technology
Winner: RAVN Systems
Highly commended: Forensic Risk Alliance