There are three awards dedicated to in-house legal departments:

- Prominent transaction

- Prominent legal department

- Prominent contribution to the profession of company lawyer

Prominent transaction:

In-house Legal Counsels send back their participation form in this category for a transaction they carried out or advised on before January 9th 2007.

They then send a documented Explanatory Memo (max 5 pages A4 plus possible attachments) based on the specific case undertaken, dealt with or closed in 2006 before January 30th 2007

In-house Legal Counsels can, simultaneously, propose transactions of other companies as possible nominees. These will be invited by the organizers to send an explanatory Memo in order to be considered in the final nominee list.

Nominees make sure not to breach any confidentiality commitment and not to violate their obligation of professional secrecy.

Only nominees who submit an Explanatory Memo in due time will be part of the final nominee list.

The Jury will assess more particularly:

- Overall quality of the Explanatory Memo and level of complexity of the case

- Interest for the economy and the business community

- Interest for the legal science

- Innovative aspects

- Degree of constraints to complete the case (time, media, special requirements, authorities,…)

Prominent legal department:

In-house Legal Counsels send back their participation form in this category for their department before January 9th 2007.

They then send a documented Explanatory Memo (max 5 pages A4 plus possible attachments) based on the global annual achievement of the department in 2006 before January 30th 2007.

In-house Legal Counsels can, simultaneously, propose legal departments of other companies as possible nominees. These will be invited by the organizers to send an explanatory Memo in order to be considered in the final nominee list.

Nominees will make sure not to breach any confidentiality commitment and not to violate their obligation of professional secrecy.

Only nominees who submit an Explanatory Memo in due time will be part of the final nominee list.

The Jury will assess more particularly:

- Demonstration of a commendable degree of quality in organisation

- Demonstration of a particular degree of innovation in managing a legal department

- Demonstration of best practices in teamwork with the other internal departments of the company and with external advisors.

- Specific recruitment and strengthening of the legal department

Prominent contribution to the profession of company lawyer:

In-house Legal Counsels send back their participation form in this category before January 9th 2007.

They then send a documented Explanatory Memo (max 5 pages A4 plus possible attachments) to demonstrate specific achievements that have enabled a particular recognition of the profession of company lawyer, before January 30th 2007.

In-house Legal Counsels can, simultaneously, propose colleagues of their company or from other companies as possible nominees. These will be invited by the organizers to send an explanatory Memo in order to be considered in the final nominee list.

Nominees make sure not to breach any confidentiality commitment and not to violate their obligation of professional secrecy.

The Jury will assess more particularly:

- Valuable publication(s) or initiative(s)

- Contribution to an important legislation or civil or corporate projects, etc…

- Organisation or participation to the organisation of events/seminars strengthening the position and the image of the profession of company lawyer

- Initiative that has enabled a better recognition of the profession of company lawyer towards the public and towards the sphere of the enterprise Download Participation Form Download complete Nomination & Selection Rules

Download Participation Form

Download complete Nomination & Selection Rules

Private Practice Law Firms

Nominees are selected according to an objective written survey carried out in cooperation with the Official Partners of the Legal Awards and representatives from the business community. (Survey Form)

The Official Partners of the Legal Awards are large and well reputed organisations and federations, their contribution ensures a representative and relevant selection for the Legal Awards. (Official Partners)

Following the results of the survey, nominees will be invited to submit an Explanatory Memo of max 5 pages A4 plus possible attachments.

Contemplated nominees will make sure not to breach any confidentiality commitment and not to violate their obligation of professional secrecy by either making sure no parties can be identified or by collecting beforehand the necessary authorisations to disclose any given information or by disclosing information that is already publicly available.

Only those contemplated nominees who do send a Explanatory Memo before 30th January 2007 will be part of the final Nominee List.

The Jury will select the Award Winner in each category based on the Explanatory Memo received in due time.

Definition of the categories of awards remitted to Law Firms

There are two main chapters of awards for Law Firms:

(1) Practice Areas

(2) Overall

(1) PRACTICE AREAS

Corporate : The law firm of the year active in the Corporate law sector.

Bank & Finance : The law firm of the year active in the Bank and/or Finance law sector.

Competition & Anti-Trust : The law firm of the year active in competition and Anti-Trust.

Tax : The law firm of the year active in the Tax law sector.

Employment : The law firm of the year active in the Employment law sector.

Real Estate & Construction : The law firm of the year active in the Real Estate and/or the Construction law sector.

Administrative & Environment : The law firm of the year active in the Administrative and Environment law sector.

Intellectual Property : The law firm of the year active in Intellectual Property Law.

TMT Technology, Media & Telecommunication : The law firm of the year active in the Technology, Media & Telecommunication law sector.

Insurance : The law firm of the year active in Insurance law.

ADR & Arbitration : The law firm of the year active in Alternative Dispute Resolution and/or Arbitration.

(2) OVERALL

Belgian Firm of the Year : The law firm having an office on the Belgian territory, including offices, branches or firms members of a national or international network.

Regional Firm Flanders of the Year : The law firm of the year having its head office or main seat in Flemish Region, with the exclusion of Brussels. The jury will recognize outstanding performance within the specific regional market.

Regional Firm Wallonia of the Year : The best law firm/department/team of the year having its head office or main seat in the Walloon Region. The jury will recognize outstanding performance within the specific regional market.

US Law Firm in Brussels of the Year : Best law firm of the year having the bulk of their lawyers based in the United States. The winner will have shown significant progress in building a presence in Brussels. The jury will look both at the ability to develop a European hub and a presence on the local market. Judges will look at key transactions during the year, success in recruitment both in terms of recent additions and integration of foreign lawyers in the US firm.

Managing Partner of the Year : The managing partner of a law firm/office/branch in Belgium who has showed best leadership, brought major new ideas and initiatives, achieved solid positioning for his/her firm/department, strong ability to communicate. Although we will take a long view, their performance over the course of the last 12 months will strengthen their nomination.

Legal Employer of the Year : The winner will be the law firm to work for. The law firm having an office on the Belgian territory, including offices, branches or firms members of a national or international network which has conducted the best partnership/employment policy. Download complete Nomination & Selection Rules

Download complete Nomination & Selection Rules