Irwin Mitchell, Switalskis Solicitors and Fletchers Solicitors were among the winners at the Personal Injury Awards 2021 ceremony last night.
The Personal Injury Awards returned to an in-person ceremony, temporarily held in Leeds this year, after going digital in 2020 amid the pandemic and lockdown restrictions.
Hundreds of personal injury-focused professionals attended the event to celebrate this vital sector and recognise the important work being done on behalf of often extremely vulnerable clients.
In his speech delivered last night, Paul Nicholls, chairman of the Motor Accident Solicitors Society and chair of the independent judging panel for the 2021 awards, praised the volume and quality submissions made, particularly at a time of such upheaval.
He said: “This is the 14th year that these awards have been held, and each year has seen the number of people enter and attend grow. We are still officially in the pandemic, so this only demonstrates the importance and quality of what these awards mean.”
Last night’s biggest winner was Irwin Mitchell, which won Outstanding Achievement of the Year and Personal Injury Trust Provider of the Year. Two of the firm’s lawyers, James Riley and Philip Banks, also picked up Outstanding Case of the Year.
The firm’s work during the pandemic was a particular highlight for the judges, with its support and rehabilitation co-coordinators team going above and beyond for clients during such a difficult time.
Two other firms, Switalskis and Fletchers, also had highly successful evenings, winning multiple categories.
The Switalskis child abuse team won Claimant Team of the Year for being “committed to making things better for their clients” and continuing “to do exceptional work in not just representing victims, but preventing abuse”.
The firm also saw Natalie Cosgrove crowned Clinical Negligence Lawyer of the Year, with the judges describing her as “excellent” and “an absolute star”.
Fletchers, meanwhile, won Clinical Negligence Team of the Year thanks to an “outstanding ethos that comes from the top” but is evident throughout the winning team’s work.
The judges said this team “impresses across the board, from their high case-load and ability to manage large and complex cases, to their innovation and flexibility over the course of the pandemic”.
Gemma Roberts of Fletchers was also named Young Achiever of the Year. With “a bright future ahead” of her, Roberts is already handling complex cases for someone so early on in their career.
Here is the full list of winners and the reasons for their success:
- Barristers’ Chambers of the Year: Parklane Plowden Chambers
- Sponsored by Somek & Associates
- “The winner of Barristers’ Chambers of the Year receives unanimous praise from the judging panel for a full service offering that is consistently delivered to a high standard of professionalism. Notable highlights include its diversity and inclusion programme, as well how it adapted to the pandemic.”
- Catastrophic Injury Lawyer of the Year: Ben Posford, Osbornes Law
- Sponsored by