Legal Research

European Counsel Awards dinner tonight

By Shaunna Mireau

I received an email a while ago informing me of the European Counsel Awards.

The International Law Office, with the support of the Association of Corporate Counsel Europe, has conducted in-depth analysis of in-house lawyers and legal departments worldwide for its second annual European Counsel Awards. Over 3,000 individual nominations from corporate counsel and law firm partners make the European Counsel Awards unique in clearly identifying those in-house counsel, both teams and individuals, who excel in their specific roles. Our primary aim is to recognize lawyers for demonstrable achievements across the full spectrum of in-house responsibility, not simply those who have acted on high-profile transactions.

Launched in 1998, the International Law Office (ILO) is one of the leading online legal update services for major companies worldwide. With over 39,000 subscribers, it represents a key portal through which law firms communicate with their clients. Recognized for the pre-eminent service it provides, ILO became the Official Online Media Partner to the International Bar Association in 2002, an International Online Media Partner to the Association of Corporate Counsel in 2005 and European Online Media Partner to the European Company Lawyers Association in 2006.

It is interesting from my perspective, to see what criteria awards are given for. For example, in 2008, a team of in-house counsel at Merecedes Benz won for “Best Training Programme”. Unfortunately, there is nothing on the awards website to explain what the program was about.

I’m not sure how ‘little ole me” got on the email list for notice about these awards. My firm does no work with the European branches of the shortlist organizations, I don’t receive any materials from the ACC of Europe or otherwise, and I am not lawyer. I do have an American Bar Association, Business Law Subsection membership card, but no one in my organization is a member of the International Bar Association.

I hope that everyone eating dinner in London, celebrating the accomplishments of corporate counsel, has a great time.

Full post as published by Slaw.ca on March 26, 2009 (boomark / email).