Local Government Legal Awards 29th November 2014 Rosewood Hotel 252 High Holborn LONDON WC1V 7EN
CONTENTS Lawyers in Local Government 3 2014 2015 President s Welcome 4 Categories and Awards Criteria 5 Category Details 6 Our Corporate Partners, Awards Sponsors, 8 Media Partner and Training Organisation ocal Government 2
LAWYERS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT Lawyers in Local Government (LLG) is the new organisation formed in March 2013 by the merger of the former Association of Council Secretaries and Solicitors (ACSeS) and Solicitors in Local Government (SLG) to give a strong and unified national voice to all lawyers and governance officers working in local government. LLG plays a leading role in the development of law and governance affecting local authorities and related bodies and works closely with other associations, Government Departments and agencies. The LLG President 2014-2015, Philip Thomson is Director for Legal Services with Essex County Council. Legal Awards 3
Welcome 2014 2015 PRESIDENT S WELCOME A very warm welcome to LLG s first Legal Awards which celebrate the brightest and best across the spectrum of local government legal practice. Local government lawyers are at the heart and coal-face of local public service. They make a real difference to the lives and well-being of local communities every minute of every day. From offering creative advice for launching and underpinning major regeneration projects to ensuring innovation, soundness and fairness across all council services, local government lawyers are all too often the unsung heroes of vital, life-enhancing local initiatives. So these Awards aim to put this right by giving due recognition to the excellent but uncelebrated legal genius in local authorities across England and Wales. The Award Categories and requirements are all included in this brochure. Submissions should be sent in pdf format to membership@lawingov.org.uk by Friday 27 June 2014. We very much look forward to receiving your entries for it could well be you and yours gaining the recognition you deserve on our Gala Night in November! But only if you make a submission. I take this opportunity of wishing the very best of luck to all entrants. Kind regards, Philip Thomson LLG President 2014-2015 4
Categories&Award Criteria CATEGORIES Award Title Special Area Activity (SAA) Lead Officer (where applicable) Adult Social Care & Health Lia Musto-Shinton, Wakefield MBC Children s Services & Education Graham Cole, Luton Borough Council Employment Law Paul Hodgson, Hampshire County Council Housing & Regeneration Alison Stuart, BDT Legal (London Borough of Barking & Dagenham and Thurrock Councils) Information Management Mark Turnbull, Leeds City Council Litigation & Licencing Nicola Hartley, South Lakeland District Council Monitoring Officer & Governance Eleanor Hoggart, Lincolnshire County Council Partnership & Procurement Ian Anderson, Hull City Council Planning, Highways & Environment Stuart Evans, Birmingham City Council Junior Lawyer of the Year Sam McGinty, NW Leicestershire District Council and Gurbinder Sangha, Herefordshire Council Individual Local Government Lawyer of the Year Local Government Legal Team of the Year These reflect LLG s Special Activity Areas (SAAs) which cover key areas of local authority legal practice and are each led by the LLG spokesperson indicated in respect of each above area. Further information on the requirements for each category appears overleaf. AWARDS CRITERIA In addition to specific award criteria noted in the details of each category, judges will particularly be looking for: Concise, compelling, focused and evidenced submissions which demonstrate: Excellence and innovation Community focus A template for best practice Significant contribution to corporate objectives Ability to think beyond narrow legal tramlines Adaptability to a rapidly changing legal environment Commercial awareness Creative use of limited resources Contribution to authority revenues. Whilst no specific word limit is set, over-long or verbose entries are unlikely to impress. Please submit all entries to membership@lawingov.org.uk with the category applied for prominently displayed on the front page and in the covering email. CLOSING DATE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 27 JUNE 2014 5
Category Details ADULT SOCIAL CARE & HEALTH The award will recognise outstanding achievement in the fields of adult social care services and/or health services by a local authority lawyer/team. Entries should demonstrate: innovation seeking strategic solutions to remedy commonplace or problematic issues the material impact of their work on their authority s performance best practice in this area contribution to raising the profile of Adult Social Care and Health and/or local government lawyers Your submission should include a relevant professional history, any relevant key cases or other key examples and client testimonials. CHILDREN'S SERVICES & EDUCATION This award will recognise outstanding achievement in the fields of children s services and/or education by a local authority lawyer/team. Entrants should include in the main body of their entry an outline of the key activity of the individual/team in 2013/14 including: relevant case studies which demonstrate the expertise and key activity of the individual/team relevant details of the individual/key members of the team and his/her/their roles any areas of expertise Supporting internal and external testimonials, details of case studies and supporting statistics can be included in appendices. Please explain these in your main submission. EMPLOYMENT LAW This category will recognise excellence in employment law. Entrants should be individual local authority employment lawyers or employment law teams advising clients on the ever changing world of employment law. Entrants should describe in their submission key activity and projects undertaken in 2013 including: relevant case studies demonstrating expertise, innovation and success in large projects and/or complex case work areas of expertise and industry credentials supporting internal and external testimonials showing the value added to projects/case work Above all, entrants should explain why their contribution to employment law in 2013 demonstrates real innovation and excellence in the field. HOUSING & REGENERATION This award will recognise a local authority lawyer/team who have made an outstanding contribution in developing and transforming its communities through housing and regeneration projects. Entrants should demonstrate: the contribution they have made in overcoming funding difficulties to achieve project delivery on major housing developments through innovative partnership working an appreciation from stakeholders of deliverability, longevity and sustainability in housing and regeneration projects how they have attracted further investment to be a catalyst in the locality for further investment and a wider regeneration impact which has significantly improved their local areas working with the community with a successful outcome of community engagement in the housing and regeneration agenda how the regeneration agenda has enhanced local policy outcomes and produced the decent standard of homes for the community INFORMATION MANAGEMENT The award will recognise a successful individual or team who has demonstrated excellence in Information law, in particular data protection and freedom of information. Entrants should include an outline of key activity in either or both areas during 2013-14 which demonstrate excellence in the field including: relevant case studies in 2013-14 which demonstrate expertise and key activity of the individual/team relevant details of key members of the team and their roles if appropriate Supporting internal and external testimonials can be included with your submission. LITIGATION & LICENSING The award will recognise a successful individual or team who has demonstrated excellence in either licensing or civil/criminal litigation. All areas of licensing and civil and criminal litigation will be considered. All levels of court work will be considered including higher rights advocates. Entrants should include in the main body of their entry an outline of key activity in either or both areas during 2013-14 which demonstrate excellence in the field including: relevant case studies in 2013-14 which demonstrate expertise and key activity of the individual/team relevant details of key members of the team and their roles if appropriate Supporting internal and external testimonials, details of case studies can be included with your submission. 6
MONITORING OFFICER & GOVERNANCE This award will recognise the individual or team demonstrating most innovative and practical approaches to the Monitoring Officer and governance role (within their council and/or associated parish councils). The judges will be looking for evidence of exemplary best practice in both openness and transparency and the democratic workings of the relevant council. Entrants should provide: full details of the project or work referred to evidence of how it has supported probity and/or open and transparent decision making within the relevant council evidence from the relevant council at member and officer level supporting the outcomes details of the individual(s) involved and their role PARTNERSHIP & PROCUREMENT This award will recognise a local authority lawyer/team who have made an outstanding contribution in developing and transforming communities through legal contributions to major projects or commercial enterprise. Submissions should demonstrate: relevant details of key team members and their roles an overview of the initiative(s) in question including planning, delivery and results information on the outcomes achieved and the impact Supporting internal and external testimonials, case studies and financial statistics may be included as appendices and referenced in the main submission. PLANNING, HIGHWAYS & ENVIRONMENT The award will recognise outstanding achievement in the fields of Planning and/or Highways and/or Environmental Law by a local authority lawyer/team. Entries should demonstrate: innovative and forward thinking a strong and dynamic team, that can evidence strategic thinking, proactive partnership working and a commitment to improving performance what are considered to be the outstanding areas of work for 2013 to 2014 expertise, details of team members and areas of expertise, proactive and partnership working with other public bodies Supporting material, testimonials, case studies, financial statistics etc can be included in appendices. If so, please explain these in your main submission. JUNIOR LAWYER OF THE YEAR We are looking for examples of junior lawyers making an exceptional contribution to their team, demonstrating a dynamic and innovative approach to achieving the goals of their service and their authority. Nominations should: detail the individual s key achievements demonstrate their commitment to a local authority legal career give relevant examples of their outstanding work these should demonstrate the individual s ability to contribute to the desired outcomes for their service and clients, as a junior member of the team Junior lawyer includes those who are trainees or are less than 5 years qualified in their professional status. INDIVIDUAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAWYER OF THE YEAR This award will go to the individual who in the opinion of the judges most stands out as an inspirational beacon of excellent practice and an exemplar to all local government lawyers. Included in the entry should be: a detailed biography of the individual nominated an outline of key achievements in 2013/14 supporting statements and views from within their legal service and clients Supporting internal and external testimonials, details of case studies and statistics can be included in appendices. Please explain these in your main submission. LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEGAL TEAM OF THE YEAR This award will be made to the legal team which can demonstrate most creativity, innovation, knowledge, client sensitivity/responsiveness and contribution to corporate, diversity and community objectives. Included in the entry should be: relevant case studies in 2013 which demonstrate the expertise and key activity of the team relevant details of key members of the team and their roles Supporting internal and external testimonials, details of case studies and financial statistics can be included in appendices. Please explain these in your main submission. 7
OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS, AWARDS SPONSORS, MEDIA PARTNER AND TRAINING ORGANISATION LLG wishes to express its strong appreciation to its corporate partners, awards sponsors, media partner and to LGG. Without them this significant event would not be possible. CORPORATE PARTNERS AWARDS SPONSORS MEDIA PARTNER LLG S OWN TRAINING ORGANISATION For all enquiries about the LLG Awards Ceremony please email membership@lawingov.org.uk