Legal News

Introducing the Legal Departments of the Year Awards!

By Brian Harris

By Jaime Bochet
Of the Legal Staff

GC Mid-Atlantic, a publication of The Legal Intelligencer that covers regional in-house counsel, is proud to announce its first annual Legal Departments of the Year Awards.

About the Awards:
The purpose of these awards is to highlight the outstanding corporate legal departments in our region that oftentimes go unrecognized. We will be handing out five separate awards honoring Pennsylvania-based legal departments that best demonstrate excellence in one of the following categories:

- In-House Legal Work
- Outside Counsel Management
- Pro Bono and Community Service Efforts
- Diversity and Quality of Life
- Technology and Information Systems

Each of the above categories is its own award, so a department could only win, for example, for In-House Legal Work OR its Outside Counsel Management, not both. Companies can, however, enter all categories, and are encouraged to do so.

Any Pennsylvania-based legal department is eligible, whether it includes one person or hundreds. We will also accept nominations from any source ? the company or legal department nominating themselves; or law firms or public relations groups nominating their clients. Additionally, if you know of anyone who might be interested in the awards, we encourage you to forward this message to them.

The winning departments will be featured in the June 28 issue of GC Mid-Atlantic, and they will be presented with their awards at a special celebration dinner at the Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia on October 6.

About the Process:
In order to nominate a legal department, you must submit a completed nomination form by no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, April 15. The form asks for specific details in each of the five categories for which awards will be handed out. Details about how to submit nominations are included at the top of the form itself. (You can download the form here.)

We encourage nominating parties to fill out all five categories as fully as called for, or you may confine your answers to those categories in which you feel a department is strongest. We recognize that some departments will naturally be stronger in some areas than in others, and that's okay. Because there is no one singular award, strength in one or two areas will only increase that department?s chances of winning in those particular categories.

If you have questions about the awards, the process or GC Mid-Atlantic, contact me by phone (215-557-2368) or e-mail at jbochet@alm.com. I look forward to receiving your nominations!!

Full post as published by The Legal Intelligencer Blog on March 15, 2011 (boomark / email).