Personal Injury Awards 2021: Which categories should you enter?

There are 20 categories available to enter at this year’s Personal Injury Awards—all designed to encourage participation from the entire industry as well as those service providers that serve it.

But which categories should you and your organisation enter? Clinical Negligence Lawyer of the Year? Young Achiever of the Year? Claims Team of the Year?

Firstly, choose carefully and avoid missing out, because the entry deadline of 10 September will not be extended for any prospective entrant this year.

Also, remember that while entering more than one category at the Personal Injury Awards is encouraged, submissions should be unique and tailored to each category’s criteria.

5,000 words of your time—tops

Now, take the hypothetical example of a personal injury law firm focused on representing claimants, perhaps one with a broad practice that works on all kinds of claims, from road traffic accidents to clinical negligence.

This firm should definitely enter Claimant Team of the Year, because it’s the category recognising the best, most successful and innovative claimant-focused law firms.

But this hypothetical personal injury law firm also has an impressive clinical negligence practice that should also compete for Clinical Negligence Team of the Year. It comes down to how you rate your achievements in these areas and whether you want the kudos that comes with winning an award recognising excellence in them.

Sticking with the example, this law firm should also consider putting forward its best and brightest solicitors for Claimant Lawyer of the Year and Clinical Negligence Lawyer of the Year. Perhaps they took the lead on an impressive case or went the extra mile for a vulnerable client. 

Just remember, if an employee wins, so does the employer. Law firms are the sum of their solicitors and support staff, after all.

Recognising that newly qualified solicitors and emerging talent are at earlier stages of their careers compared to their more senior colleagues, Young Achiever of the Year is also an excellent category to consider for the younger members of your firm who have bright futures in personal injury.

So this hypothetical personal injury firm focused on claimants, but with a broad practice that works on all kinds of claims, could enter five categories.

With a limit of 250 to 1,000 words on written submissions, that is a total commitment of 5,000 words maximum to enter the Personal Injury Awards.

Don’t forget that the Personal Injury Awards is also open to the best barristers, mediators, rehab providers, claims management companies, medicolegal providers and insurers. It’s the industry’s opportunity to come together, celebrate its successes and define best practices for the year ahead.

Enter now, ahead of the 2021 entry deadline on 10 September. Review the categories and criteria here.

This year’s awards ceremony is returning as an in-person event, held at the prestigious New Dock Hall in Leeds on 23 November 2021.

Mark Dugdale