Pinsent Masons scooped up four awards – including the coveted Grand Prix award – at this year’s People in Law awards.
The awards, which celebrate HR professionals working in the legal sector, were attended by more than 300 online guests, celebrating in evening wear from the comfort of their own homes.
Pinsent Masons won awards for best health and wellbeing initiative (for firms with more than 750 employees including partners), best HR innovation through technology, senior HR ally and the Grand Prix.
DAC Beachcroft won the award for outstanding employee engagement, while Barcan+Kirby were crowned HR team of the year.
The awards for excellence in talent management and learning and development went to Trowers & Hamlins. Shearman & Sterling won the best CSR/Pro Bono initiative.
The awards were hosted by comedian couple Rachel Parris and Marcus Brigstocke. The audience enjoyed videos of sponsors announcing award winners, often with children appearing in the background highlighting the increasing normality of working from home.
Before the ceremony began, attendees could chat in their own meeting rooms or mingle in other firms’ and sponsors’ rooms. Afterwards, 200 of the attendees enjoyed some further networking and a virtual disco.
Jonathan Bond, Director of HR & Learning at Pinsent Masons, said: “I learned two key lessons at the People in Law Awards. First, it is possible to have a highly engaging and enjoyable awards ceremony run virtually.
“Secondly, it is possible to win four awards in one go if you have an outstanding HR team and a supportive board.
“The first lesson has helped inspire me to plan a hybrid real/virtual model for our HR & Learning programme in a post-Covid world. The second has encouraged me to keep the foot on the gas to try to win another four awards next year!”
Rob Hind, chair of People in Law, said the success of the virtual event had been a “tribute to everyone concerned”.
“Congratulations to all entrants and winners for their high-quality work and thank you to everyone who e-attended,” he added.
The full list of winners of the 2020 People in Law Awards is as follows:
Outstanding Employee Engagement
Winner – DAC Beachcroft
Excellence in Talent Management and Learning & Development
Winner – Trowers & Hamlins
Highly Commended – Pinsent Masons
Best Apprenticeship Initiative
Winner – Clyde & Co
Best Health & Wellbeing Initiative (For firms of up to 750 employees including Partners)
Winner – Fladgate
Best Health & Wellbeing Initiative (For firms of over 750 employees including Partners)
Winner – Pinsent Masons
Best CSR/Pro Bono Initiative
Winner – Shearman & Sterling
Excellence in Equality & Inclusion
Winner – Horwich Farrelly
Best HR Innovation Through Technology
Winner – Pinsent Masons
Best Trainee Recruitment Marketing Campaign
Winner – Hogan Lovells
Most Innovative HR Initiative
Winner – Clifford Chance
Highly Commended – CMS
Best Individual Contribution
Winner – Mariyam Hassan, Shearman & Sterling
Rising Star
Winner – Yasmina Kone, Clifford Chance
Senior HR Ally
Winner – Richard Foley, Pinsent Masons
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HR Team of the Year
Winner – Barcan + Kirby
Grand Prix
Winner – Richard Foley, Pinsent Masons
