PRESS RELEASE
25 March 2008
FORREST FELLS OPPOSITION AT LEGAL AWARDS
Ian Forrest, managing partner of Birmingham law firm Hammonds, has been crowned ‘Managing Partner of the Year’ at the Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards 2008.
He beat off strong competition from Mills & Reeve managing partner Guy Hinchley to collect the award at the glittering ceremony at the ICC.
Under Ian’s leadership, Hammonds’ Birmingham office continues to thrive and be recognised as one of the top providers of legal services in the Midlands. In the year to April 2007, the firm reported impressive financial results, which saw turnover increase to £127.6m.
Having joined the firm (then Edge Ellison) as a trainee, Ian was handed responsibility for training and mentoring, which remains a central part of his role.
Today, Hammonds has one of the best retention rates for its trainees of the national firms, with 82 per cent taking up places on qualification in September 2007. In Birmingham the figure was slightly higher, with 85 per cent of trainees taking up positions within the firm.
Ian has also been pivotal in pushing through the £10m refurbishment of the firm’s office at Rutland House, where it has been based since 1963. The extensive refurbishment will provide its 230 staff with spacious, contemporary office space.
Kevin Martin, past president of the Law Society and chairman of judges for the Legal Awards, said: “Ian is a very successful lawyer who has brought great progress to a proudly expanding and successful firm, but with a complete understanding of the vital issues of diversity and client care. He also demonstrated a huge involvement in pro bono activities.”
Despite narrowly missing out on the Managing Partner of the Year award, Guy Hinchley collected the prize for Law Firm of the Year (over 15 partners) on behalf of Mills & Reeve.
Law Firm of the Year (under 15 partners), which Mills & Reeve won in 2006, was awarded to Sydney Mitchell.
Other winners included Ronald Deakin of Howell & Co. (Legal Executive of the Year); Harjinder Samra, Hammonds (Trainee Solicitor of the Year); Luke Daniels, Irwin Mitchell (Assistant Solicitor of the Year); Emma Dickson, Browne Jacobson (Commercial Solicitor of the Year); Callum Nuttall, HBJ Gateley Wareing (Solicitor of the Year); and Alistair MacDonald, St Philips Chambers (Barrister of the Year).
It’s the seventh year that the awards, which seek to recognise and reward the achievements of Birmingham’s legal community – the biggest outside London – have taken place.
Paul Farrow, Birmingham Law Society chief executive, said: “As well as being a fitting tribute to the hard work that has been undertaken during the year, both by individuals and firms, this year’s awards have once again demonstrated the region’s position as a centre for legal excellence.
“On behalf of Birmingham Law Society I would like to congratulate all of the winners and thank all of the firms, individuals and sponsors that continue to support the awards. And, of course, our judges who had the difficult task of choosing the winners from so many top quality nominations.”
Headline sponsor of this year’s event was Wesleyan for Lawyers, which backed the awards for the second successive year.
Other sponsors included Chiltern Railways, St Philips Chambers, Baker Tilly, Allied Irish Bank (GB) Ltd, Learning and Skills Council, software development company 3Sixty Systems Ltd, data archiving specialist Commvault and Giles Insurance Brokers.
More than £4,300 was raised on the night for the nominated charity, Edward’s Trust. |
The
Birmingham Law Society was established on the 3rd
January 1818 starting with 19 individual members.
We are now the largest local law society in the country
representing over 2,500 solicitors in 300 practices
in Birmingham and the Greater West Midlands area.
