IEL Awards
Plaisterers' Hall, London

The first annual International Employment Lawyer Awards recognises the very best private practice and in-house teams from around the globe. 

This truly international awards ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate the outstanding achievements of leading lawyers across 23 categories during the past 12 months. Categories and criteria for entry can be found below.

Law firm shortlist - here.

In-house and Chambers shortlist - here.

For general enquiries relating to the submission process, please contact John van der Luit-Drummond. For any queries about individual tickets or tables of ten, and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Nic O'Callaghan.

IN-HOUSE CATEGORIES

Diversity & Inclusion Programme of the Year

Open to in-house teams, this award recognises the best new or ongoing programmes designed to create more diverse, inclusive, equitable, and just workplaces. Submissions can include, but are not limited to, policies that promote the inclusion and career progression of underrepresented or minority groups, pay equity and transparency plans, training and coaching resources, and work flexibility policies.

Employee Benefits Policy of the Year

Open to in-house teams, this award recognises the best new or ongoing employee benefits policies including, but not limited to, reproductive healthcare, enhanced holiday leave, childcare accommodations, education and training opportunities, travel allowances, and remote or hybrid working policies.

Employee Wellbeing Initiative of the Year

Open to in-house teams, this award recognises the best new or ongoing initiatives designed to improve the wellbeing of employees. Submissions may include, but are not limited to, mental health policies, financial wellbeing schemes, physical health initiatives, and other measures to improve work-life balance.

International Employment Lawyer of the Year - In-house

Open to in-house lawyers at global or regional management level, nominees should be able to demonstrate how their leadership has added value to their organisations and workforces, and provide evidence of work on critical disputes or advisory matters.

In-house Leader of Tomorrow

Open to rising in-house stars who are recognised as leaders of tomorrow. Nominations are welcome from/for individuals below global or regional management level, whose work on cutting-edge disputes or initiatives has benefited their organisations locally, regionally, or globally. Nominees should have no more than ten years’ legal experience.

LAW FIRM CATEGORIES

Executive Compensation Team of the Year

Open to private practice teams that can demonstrate cutting-edge advice designed to attract, retain, and motivate key employees, that has been instrumental in achieving business critical objectives while also remaining compliant with a shifting regulatory landscape.

Labour Relations Management Team of the Year

Open to private practice teams that have assisted clients with responding to a resurgent labour movement, and demonstrated prowess in advice on collective bargaining, industrial actions, disputes, and regulatory enforcement in the past year.

Disputes Team of the Year

Open to private practice teams that have been involved in some of the biggest, most challenging, and unique litigation, class actions, or arbitrations brought against companies by executives, workers, or regulatory bodies in the past year.

Investigations Team of the Year

Open to private practice teams instructed to undertake sensitive internal probes and culture reviews for clients, covering issues including, but not limited to, sexual harassment, discrimination, human rights and labour abuses, health and safety violations, anti-competitive behaviour, regulatory concerns, and white-collar crime.

Transactional Team of the Year

Open to private practice teams instructed to provide employment and labour expertise to the largest and most complex transactional and restructuring mandates around the globe. From mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs to bankruptcies and plant closings, teams must demonstrate how they impacted the success of a deal.

North American Law Firm of the Year

Open to private practice firms across Canada and the United States, this award will look at the totality of work undertaken by the firm, from day-to-day HR support and compliance to transactional support, advice on disputes, and investigations.

Latin American Law Firm of the Year

Open to private practice firms with a presence in the region, this award will look at the totality of work undertaken by the firm, from day-to-day HR support and compliance to transactional advice, disputes, and investigations.

European Law Firm of the Year

Open to private practice firms with a presence on the continent, this award will look at the totality of work undertaken by the firm, from day-to-day HR support and compliance to transactional advice disputes, and investigations.

Asia-Pacific Law Firm of the Year

Open to private practice firms with a presence in Asia and the Pacific, this award will look at the totality of work undertaken by the firm, from day-to-day HR support and compliance to transactional advice, disputes, and investigations.

African Law Firm of the Year

Open to private practice firms with a presence on the continent, this award will look at the totality of work undertaken by the firm, from day-to-day HR support and compliance to transactional advice, disputes, and investigations.

Middle Eastern Law Firm of the Year

Open to private practice firms with a presence in the region, this award will look at the totality of work undertaken by the firm, from day-to-day HR support and compliance to transactional advice, disputes, and investigations.

Boutique Law Firm of the Year

Open to independent law firms with a national focus that offer day-to-day advice, transactional support, or disputes expertise to international firms without a local presence, or those that have a niche practice. Submissions must demonstrate that the boutique works with the world’s premier law firms and their A-list client base.

International Employment Lawyer of the Year - Private Practice

This award recognises the standout law firm partners whose work on cross-border mandates has brought real value to their clients. Submissions are welcome from across disciplines but should detail the work undertaken in the past year – advisory, transactional, or disputes – and how that work has assisted employers.

Private Practice Leader of Tomorrow

Open to rising private practice stars who are recognised as leaders of tomorrow. The shortlist will be made up of individuals below partner level whose work on cutting-edge disputes or initiatives has benefited their clients locally, regionally, or globally. Nominees should have no more than ten years’ legal experience.

International Employment Law Team of the Year

This flagship award recognises this year’s standout cross-border team. Teams must demonstrate a truly global practice, covering day-to-day employment and labour advice, bet-the-company transactional support, and cutting-edge disputes works for an A-list client base.

CHAMBERS CATEGORIES

Chambers of the Year

The award recognises the collective achievements of chambers with specialist employment and labour law advocates from around the globe. Nominees must demonstrate a breadth of expertise across related disciplines, with members instructed by leading law firms or in-house teams, and have worked on critical disputes, sensitive investigations, or complex advisory matters in the past 12 months.

Senior Counsel of the Year

The award recognises the advocacy, investigative, and advisory skills of leading independent senior advocates (King’s Counsel or equivalent) from around the globe. Nominees will have worked on high-profile, cutting-edge disputes, been instructed in sensitive workplace investigations, or acted on complex advisory matters in the past 12 months.

Junior Counsel of the Year

The award recognises the advocacy, investigative, and advisory skills of leading independent junior advocates from around the globe. Nominees will have worked on high-profile, cutting-edge disputes, been instructed in sensitive workplace investigations, or acted on complex advisory matters in the past 12 months.

Programme:


7.00pm: Cocktail Reception 

8.00pm: Gala Dinner

9.00pm: Awards Presentations 

10.30pm onwards: Carriages 
 

Dress code: Black Tie

Speakers:

Individual ticket GBP£350
Table of 10 GBP£3,500


VAT will be added if applicable. 

For general enquiries or to pay via invoice, please contact us via email or telephone: +44 207 339 3038.