The International Law Office (ILO) and the Association of Corporate Counsel Europe (ACC Europe) hosted the sixth annual European Counsel Awards at London’s historic One Great George Street. The gala event celebrated the achievements of in-house counsel recognized by their peers as excelling in their chosen fields. “The aim of the awards is as bold as it is simple – to find and recognize the best in-house lawyers based in Europe. This means looking behind the scenes in search of those attributes that really matter in the ever-changing corporate world,” explained Maria-Jesus Alonso, president of the ACC Europe.
To identify the winners, the ILO team conducted an in-depth analysis of in-house lawyers and legal departments worldwide, receiving more than 4,000 individual nominations. Respondents were asked to focus on criteria such as effective communication, legal understanding, commercial awareness, depth and strength of team, and management skills. Awards were presented to both individuals and legal teams working in the following areas: competition, corporate tax, employment, general commercial, intellectual property, litigation, M&A, and regulatory (financial and non-financial).
Janice More of HJ Heinz Company was named General Counsel of the Year after receiving multiple individual nominations from both senior colleagues within the company and leading external counsel. “Janice More is energetic, thoughtful and proactive in all of her endeavors. Moreover, she has a clear vision for the legal function and openly encourages us, as outside counsel, to work in partnership with her, brainstorming ideas and then developing them to identify areas where legal can add value,” enthused one such law firm partner.
The event sponsors were Baker & Hostetler LLP, Baker & McKenzie, Bird & Bird, CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo, DLA Piper, Eversheds LLP, Hogan Lovells, Lewis Silkin LLP, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, McCarter & English, LLP, Shearman & Sterling LLP and White & Case LLP.
For more information and a complete list of winners, visit www.europeancounselawards.com.