Finalists: Berwin Leighton Paisner; Bircham Dyson Bell; FBC Manby Bowdler; Giles Wilson; Kemp Little (highly commended); PLMJ.

Taylor Wessing's interactive, web-based Patent Map tool helped the firm win the Business Development Innovation award. The map – which went live in January – allows clients to compare patent litigation regimes across Europe, giving an overview of how each jurisdiction operates its patent litigation, such as the typical length of trial, if there is a specialist patent court in that country, or if damages are available, and the expected costs.

The business development plan behind the Patent Map is twofold: to increase revenue by targeting new and existing clients (winning just one piece of new business can make a big difference to revenues), and to raise the firm's profile in its bid to become the go-to law firm for complex international patent litigation.

"We developed the Patent Map to help further cement our position in the marketplace and raise the profile of our international team and specialist expertise," the firm said. It added that the project is also developing relationships with other law firms in countries where it has no offices – such as Spain and Italy – by seeking the help of those firms with content for the Patent Map.

"Fairly straightforward and simple, but the best ideas often are. Practical and useful to clients," one judge noted.

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