Award Categories and Criteria 2021
DEAL AWARDS
Debt Market Deal of the Year
- Open to all Debt Market deals that reached completion between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 for which the majority of the legal work was NZ-based. Each organisation may nominate a maximum of three deals.
- Judged on its NZ aspects according to four criteria – size, complexity, breadth and innovation.
Equity Market Deal of the Year
- Open to all Equity Market deals that reached completion between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 for which the majority of the legal work was NZ-based. Each organisation may nominate a maximum of three deals.
- Judged on its NZ aspects according to four criteria – size, complexity, breadth and innovation.
Project Finance Deal of the Year
- Open to all Project Finance deals that reached completion between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 for which the majority of the legal work was NZ-based. Each organisation may nominate a maximum of three deals.
- Judged on its NZ aspects according to four criteria – size, complexity, breadth and innovation.
M&A Deal of the Year
- Open to all M&A deals that reached completion between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 for which the majority of the legal work was NZ-based. Each organisation may nominate a maximum of three deals.
- Judged on its NZ aspects according to four criteria – size, complexity, breadth and innovation.
Insolvency and Restructuring Deal of the Year
- Open to all insolvency and restructuring deals that reached completion between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 for which the majority of the legal work was NZ-based. Each organisation may nominate a maximum of three deals.
- Judged on its NZ aspects according to four criteria – size, complexity, breadth and innovation.
Mid-Market Deal of the Year
- Open to all deals with a value of NZD50-500m that reached completion between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 for which the majority of the legal work was NZ-based. Each organisation may nominate a maximum of three deals.
- Judged on its NZ aspects according to four criteria – size, complexity, breadth and innovation.
IN-HOUSE AWARDS
James & Wells Young In-house Lawyer of the Year (35 or under)
- Open to qualified lawyers not exceeding 35 years of age as at 31 March 2021; and permanently employed within the in-house legal function of an organisation operating in New Zealand.
- Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of their work between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Lane Neave In-house Lawyer of the Year
- Open to qualified lawyers permanently employed within the in-house legal function of an organisation operating in New Zealand.
- Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of their work between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Financial Services in-house Team of the Year
- Open to in-house legal teams in a banking, insurance or financial services organisation operating in New Zealand.
- Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of its work between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Russell Mcveagh In-house Team of the Year
- Open to in-house legal teams in a non-financial-services organisation operating in New Zealand(In-house teams that do not qualify for the Financial Services In House Team should be nominated in this category.)
- Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of its work between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
In-house teams that do not qualify for the Financial Services In House Team should be nominated in this category.
FIRM AWARDS
Employment Law Specialist Firm of the Year
- Open to law firms that derive at least 50% of their revenue from employment law matters.
- Judged on expertise demonstrated between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Litigation & Dispute Resolution Specialist Law Firm of the Year
- Open to law firms that derive at least 50% of their revenue from litigation and dispute resolution matters.
- Judged on expertise demonstrated between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Intellectual Property Specialist Law Firm of the Year
- Open to law firms that derive at least 50% of their revenue from intellectual property law matters.
- Judged on expertise demonstrated between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Property & Construction Specialist Law Firm of the Year
- Open to law firms that derive at least 50% of their revenue from property and construction law matters.
- Judged on expertise demonstrated between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Insurance Specialist Law Firm of the Year
- Open to law firms that derive at least 50% of their revenue from insurance law matters.
- Judged on expertise demonstrated between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Boutique Law Firm of the Year
- Open to law firms that derive at least 50% of their revenue from a single practice area Firms that do not qualify for the specialist firm categories (Employment Law, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, Property & Construction and Insurance) should be nominated in this category.
- Judged on expertise demonstrated between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Firms that do not qualify for the specialist firm categories (Employment Law, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, Property & Construction and Insurance) should be nominated in this category
Artemis Executive Recruitment Employer of Choice (<50 lawyers)
- Open to law firms employing less than 50 lawyers on a full-time basis as at 31 March 2021.
- Judged on performance between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 across aspects such as employee engagement and retention, diversity and inclusion, remuneration and benefits, training and development, leadership, reward and recognition and work-life balance.
Artemis Executive Recruitment Employer of Choice (51-100 Lawyers)
- Open to law firms employing between 51 and 100 lawyers on a full-time basis as at 31 March 2021.
- Judged on performance between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 across aspects such as employee engagement and retention, diversity and inclusion, remuneration and benefits, training and development, leadership, reward and recognition and work-life balance.
Artemis Executive Recruitment Employer of Choice (>100 Lawyers)
- Open to law firms employing more than 100 lawyers on a full-time basis as at 31 March 2021.
- Judged on performance between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 across aspects such as employee engagement and retention, diversity and inclusion, remuneration and benefits, training and development, leadership, reward and recognition and work-life balance.
Resolution Institute Mediator of the Year
- Open to members of Resolution Institute (formerly LEADR) or AMINZ, or both.
- Judged on his/her achievements and performance between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year (35 or under)
- Open to qualified lawyers not exceeding 35 years of age as at 31 March 2021; and permanently employed within a law firm in NZ.
- Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of their work between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Managing Partner of the Year (≤100 Lawyers)
- Open to managing partners, CEOs or similar of a NZ law firm with no more than 100 lawyers employed on a full-time basis as at 31 March 2021.
- Judged on his/her achievements and performance during the period 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Managing Partner of the Year (>100 Lawyers)
- Open to managing partners, CEOs or similar of a NZ law firm with more than 100 lawyers employed on a full-time basis as at 31 March 2021.
- Judged on his/her achievements and performance between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Regional/Suburban Law Firm of the Year
- Open to law firms headquartered outside the central business districts of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
- Judged on expertise across a range of practice areas between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Mid-size Law Firm of the Year
- Open to law firms with 6-24 partners.
- Judged on expertise across a range of practice areas between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Large Law Firm of the Year
- Open to law firms with 25+ partners.
- Judged on expertise across a range of practice areas between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
PROFESSION AWARDS
Diversity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year
- Open to all NZ-based law firms and in-house legal teams.
- Judged on the concrete steps the law firm or in-house legal teams took during 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 to promote diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.