Browne Jacobson named 'Best Managed National Firm' for 2016

Top 50 UK law firm Browne Jacobson has been named ‘Best Managed National Firm’ at the 2016 Managing Partners’ Forum (MPF) Awards, in association with Harvard Business Review and The Financial Times.

Browne Jacobson was delighted to receive the coveted award, alongside other professional services award winners on the night such as PWC, CMS Cameron McKenna, Dentons, Hogan Lovell, RPC and Irwin Mitchell.

The awards ceremony, which took place at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square and was hosted by impressionist Jon Culshaw, recognises management excellence in professional services firms across Europe. The award categories include: strategy & leadership, client experience, operational excellence and responsible business.

The esteemed judging panel included Chairman of Judges and former  South East Chairman at PwC Alistair Rose; Julie Ashdown, OBE and Head of Corporate Responsibility, Equality and Diversity at The Law Society of England and Wales and Linda Hill, Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School amongst others.

The judges said of the firm: “In a challenging market for firms of its size and profile, the firm has performed impressively. Its strong organic growth has helped them to break into the UK Top 50 and develop from a strong regional player into a truly national firm. The implementation of the firm’s strategy was structured, comprehensive and well planned and included heavy investment in the firm’s professional management team and the establishment of a Programme Management Office.”

Iain Blatherwick, Managing Partner and Sarah Walker-Smith, Chief Operating Officer at the firm were presented with the award by Relationship Director for Santander, Indy Siriwardana.

Iain Blatherwick commented on the win: “On behalf of the firm, I would like to say how delighted we are to have been recognised by the Managing Partners’ Forum as the best managed national firm.
“Our success is testament to the commitment and drive of all of our people, the relationships we have in place with our clients across a balanced portfolio of sectors and by making the most of the opportunities which arise where those sectors intersect.”

Sarah Walker-Smith added: “We have been on an incredible journey in a very short space of time and whilst there is much still to do we really appreciated external recognition for our rapid growth without merging which is so prevalent across our sector at present.
“Getting into the UK top 50 law firms is an important milestone for us and we will ensure we remain worthy of our place there by continuing to learn and drive improvements both for our people and our clients.”

Browne Jacobson has transformed itself in recent years from having a strong regional footprint into one of the UK’s leading national law firms with offices in five UK cities - Birmingham, Exeter, London, Manchester and Nottingham.

Their client base extends across blue chip corporates, NHS trusts, major insurers, local authorities, education and public sector organisations including: NHS England, Homes & Communities Agency, the Welsh Government, Hiscox, Morrisons and The London Taxi Corporation. They are also currently acting as Counsel in the UK, Commonwealth and Europe to the trustee for the liquidation of Bernard L Madoff Investment Securities LLC and Bernard Madoff, in relation to recovery of investors’ funds following the collapse of Bernard Madoff’s $40bn-plus Ponzi fraud scheme.

The firm has consistently delivered outstanding financial results, culminating in a record £58.7m turnover in 2015 and will push beyond £60m in 2016. Over the last three years the firm has also opened new offices in Exeter and Manchester and in early 2015 officially opened a new flagship London office at 6 Bevis Marks. The year also saw the firm enter the top 50 UK law firm rankings for the first time.