| Most Enterprising Law Firm of the Year |
 This award is for the firm that has embraced innovation and marked itself out as being a progressive market leader. Ways this could have been achieved include a change in strategy, the development of a new practice area, the introduction of new technology, a successful branding exercise or an attempt to improve the quality of the firm's working environment.
Previous Winners While many firms were quick to show their employees the door when the credit crunch hit, Norton Rose adopted a different and much-admired strategy. In a move that would make it very popular indeed, the firm introduced a flexible scheme allowing staff to work a four-day week at 85% pay, or take a sabbatical for a period of up to 12 weeks at 30%. No employee would have their salary cut by more than 20% during the fiscal year, and staff benefits remain unaffected. The Flex scheme was designed to achieve a number of goals. It gives the firm a flexible workforce over the next year, so putting it in a position to respond fully to the needs of clients, both now and when the economy picks up. It also allows the firm to retain its people and their expertise and demonstrate how much the firm values them.  As one London associate who opted in to the scheme explained: ‘I see this as an opportunity to have a better work-life balance while the market conditions sort themselves out. Flex is obviously far better than facing the prospect of losing your job entirely. So Flex has put that worry to one side.’ A brave and innovative move by the firm means it is the deserved winner for thinking outside the box. HIGHLY COMMENDEDCMS CAMERON McKENNARichard PriceCMS Cameron McKenna’s new management and accounting tool, Matrix, employs a series of metrics that enable a monthly in-depth investigation of the firm’s financial performance, allowing management to react to any changes swiftly and steal a march on rivals. It is the detailed degree of measurement and of accountability inherent in the system that lifts it above any other law firm matrix. COLLAS DAYMike TiddTaking full advantage of flexible legislation and favourable tax structures, Collas Day has established a sub-brand company – Collas Day IP Management – providing its clients with integrated IP services in a concerted bid to make Guernsey a global IP hub. The firm aims to use the incorporated cell company structure in Guernsey, coupled with proposed image rights legislation, to allow individuals to protect and exploit their image rights freely under Guernsey law. LATHAM & WATKINSKen Heaps; Rene MendozaLatham’s cutting-edge, state-of-the-art advanced video conferencing offering means that clients and their advisers can simulate the dynamics of a real meeting, with life-size images and identical environments, no matter where on the globe they happen to be. This use of realistic, ‘telepresence’ technology facilitates immediate collaboration in a high-quality and secure environment. NABARRORob MoultonWhen Nabarro set up the simulation of a regulatory crisis, then played it out in real time over the course of a week, it allowed clients the chance to really get involved and role-play their reactions to the scenario. This immensely popular interactive training event finished with a Nabarro panel discussing lessons to be learnt from the experience. SIMMONS & SIMMONSMark DawkinsIn a year in which legal process outsourcing (LPO) really came into its own, Simmons was admired by the market for embracing LPO with gusto. It signed a year-long agreement with outsourcing specialist Integreon to offshore lower-end legal services work – including document production, document review, due diligence and legal research tasks – to Integreon’s facility in Mumbai. Award sponsored by The CLO Programme |