Lawyers including the senior partner of Carter Ruck have used an awards factory based in Birmingham to burnish their trophy cabinets.
'Corporate INTL' claims that it undertakes "detailed research" into nominees and creates a shortlist of "up to" five potential winners in each category, who are then whittled down to a winner by an "independent panel". However the likelihood of lawyers (who can nominate themselves) facing any competition appears slim given that they can invent their own category. Or perhaps Shoosmiths partner Paul Eccles beat a crowded field to secure "Policy Cover Disputes Lawyer of the Year in England". And possibly Gibson Dunn partner Judith Lee triumphed over dozens to win "Blockchain Technology Sector Lawyer of the Year in Washington D.C".
Lawyers lucky enough to 'win' their chosen award are offered the chance to appear in Corp INTL's annual awards publication. For a price, they can purchase a full page, half page or space in the back of the directory. Like all the best joke award schemes, they can also buy a trophy. In a Facebook post titled, "This is the sort of crap I have to deal with", an office manager said the gongs cost £120 (plus postage and packaging). It's not exactly the Oscars.
But the questionable process has not deterred magpie lawyers across the profession from showering themselves in ersatz glory. Even Cameron Doley, senior partner of Carter Ruck, took out a half page in the 2017 magazine. He was sufficiently proud of being crowned "Public International Lawyer of the Year In England' that he has placed the winner's logo at the top of his Carter Ruck website profile. Doley is in fine company. Former Ince & Co partner Andrew Iyer, who was struck off and jailed for stealing million from clients, was also successful. Iyer, who is not averse to milking the undiscriminating awards industry for some positive puff, won "Boutique Commodities Firm of the Year 2017".
RollOnFriday asked Lee, Eccles, Doley and others how much they coughed up for their awards packages, and whether they bought a trophy. All were too shy to reply, except Orrick partner Attilio Mazzilli. The "Tech M&A Lawyer of the Year in Italy" told RollOnFriday, "No payment was requested. I just purchased a tombstone".
Corp INTL did not respond to requests for details of its price list and independent judging panel.
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'Corporate INTL' claims that it undertakes "detailed research" into nominees and creates a shortlist of "up to" five potential winners in each category, who are then whittled down to a winner by an "independent panel". However the likelihood of lawyers (who can nominate themselves) facing any competition appears slim given that they can invent their own category. Or perhaps Shoosmiths partner Paul Eccles beat a crowded field to secure "Policy Cover Disputes Lawyer of the Year in England". And possibly Gibson Dunn partner Judith Lee triumphed over dozens to win "Blockchain Technology Sector Lawyer of the Year in Washington D.C".
Lawyers lucky enough to 'win' their chosen award are offered the chance to appear in Corp INTL's annual awards publication. For a price, they can purchase a full page, half page or space in the back of the directory. Like all the best joke award schemes, they can also buy a trophy. In a Facebook post titled, "This is the sort of crap I have to deal with", an office manager said the gongs cost £120 (plus postage and packaging). It's not exactly the Oscars.
Fingers crossed. |
But the questionable process has not deterred magpie lawyers across the profession from showering themselves in ersatz glory. Even Cameron Doley, senior partner of Carter Ruck, took out a half page in the 2017 magazine. He was sufficiently proud of being crowned "Public International Lawyer of the Year In England' that he has placed the winner's logo at the top of his Carter Ruck website profile. Doley is in fine company. Former Ince & Co partner Andrew Iyer, who was struck off and jailed for stealing million from clients, was also successful. Iyer, who is not averse to milking the undiscriminating awards industry for some positive puff, won "Boutique Commodities Firm of the Year 2017".
RollOnFriday asked Lee, Eccles, Doley and others how much they coughed up for their awards packages, and whether they bought a trophy. All were too shy to reply, except Orrick partner Attilio Mazzilli. The "Tech M&A Lawyer of the Year in Italy" told RollOnFriday, "No payment was requested. I just purchased a tombstone".
Corp INTL did not respond to requests for details of its price list and independent judging panel.
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I am the lawyer of the year ya bas