Hall Brown Family Law has set the seal on another week of success by claiming a prestigious legal title.

The substantial progress made by the firm’s offices in both Leeds and Sheffield have seen it named as Family Team of the Year at the Yorkshire Legal Awards.

Hall Brown was one of eight finalists but was declared by organisers to be the “clear winner”.

The prize comes just days after its Yorkshire sites received stellar reviews in the latest edition of the Legal 500 rankings with lavish praise for individuals and teams alike.

Head of Hall Brown’s Sheffield office, Alison Fernandes, described the award as a stand-out moment in “another amazing year”.

“It is incredible recognition for all the hard work invested by everyone in order to make a real impact in Yorkshire.

“When we opened in Sheffield five years ago, we realised the importance not just of maintaining the excellent standards set by our colleagues elsewhere but of establishing our own credentials.

“The combined effort with Leeds, which launched in 2022, has really paid off. Together, we are now recognised as the leading family law specialist in Yorkshire.

“That is no little accolade, especially when one considers the calibre of the other firms shortlisted this year, many of whom have much longer pedigrees than our own.

“Given that our Manchester office has long been acknowledged as the best in the North West and that our London team is also making immense strides in a very crowded and competitive market, we can truly say that Hall Brown is very much a national force.

“Rest assured that we will continue to concentrate on delivering the very best support possible to our clients wherever they may be – in Yorkshire, the rest of the UK or overseas.”

In selecting Hall Brown as winner in the family law category – one of 26 individual and collective honours available for the 26th year in which the Yorkshire Legal Awards have been staged – organisers described how the firm’s focus on client service and community involvement had been key factors.

As well as its leading role in a fundraising campaign to safeguard the Family Drug and Alcohol Courts. (FDACs), Hall Brown supports a number of Yorkshire children and charities.

Both the Sheffield and Leeds offices also provide work experience placements for youngsters who might otherwise not find a route into the legal profession and sponsors low income students through their university degree courses.

The Yorkshire Legal Awards’ triumph comes hot on the heels of the glowing praise for Hall Brown from Legal 500.

All of the firm’s five nationwide offices earned tributes.

Mrs Fernandes was one of five Hall Brown lawyers, including co-founders James Brown and Sam Hall, Claire Reid and Beth Wilkins, to be recognised as Leading Partners.

Two of its Sheffield team – Zoe Round and Martin Loxley – joined Andrew Newbury, who is based in Hall Brown’s Manchester headquarters, in Legal 500’s Hall of Fame.

Hall Brown’s Head of Non-Court Dispute Resolution (NCDR), Sarah Manning, was named as a Next Generation Partner, while there were also notable mentions for her Leeds colleagues – partner Laura Guillon, Sarah Hewitt and Bronwyn Warmington.

Melanie Hadwin, another high-achieving member of the Sheffield team, was one of two Hall Brown lawyers classed as Leading Associates.

The entire Sheffield team retained its place in the classfication’s top tier of family law practices, while the Leeds office has moved from being a ‘Firm to Watch’ last year to Legal 500’s second tier.

Hall Brown’s London team was singled out for its experience of dealing with high-value cases and for offering “a Rolls-Royce service”.

Legal 500 has said that London team’s co-head, Izzy Walsh, is “an exceptional solicitor—super insightful, incredibly clever, and an absolute pleasure to work with”.

Less than two years after launching in Birmingham, Hall Brown’s office in the city, led by Janine Hobday and partner Andrew Breakwell, was also named as a ‘Firm to Watch’.

The firm now employs 79 staff across its offices in Manchester, London, Sheffield, Leeds and Birmingham, 58 of whom are fee earners.