Hall Brown Makes Law Society Excellence Shortlist For Second Year Running 

Published on 08 September, 2020 | James Brown

The founders of one of the country’s most dynamic family law firms have spoken of their pride at being shortlisted for a prestigious legal industry award for a second successive year.

Hall Brown Family Law has been chosen as one of the five nominees in the Medium Law Firm of the Year category of the Law Society’s Excellence Awards.

Managing Partner and co-founder James Brown said that being selected was “terrific reward” for the efforts of Hall Brown’s lawyers and administrative staff over the course of a year which has seen further tremendous growth for the firm.

The recognition by the legal profession’s representative body comes just 12 months after Mr Brown and Senior Partner and fellow co-founder Sam Hall were nominated for their efforts in saving a court system helping to prevent the children of parents addicted to drugs or alcohol from being taken into care.

“It is always heartening to receive praise of any sort for the support which we offer.

“However, it is truly delightful to be recognised by our legal peers in the Law Society’s awards and signifies how much the efforts made by everyone within the firm are acknowledged by our contemporaries as well as our clients.”

The Law Society’s Excellence Awards’ are described as “testament to the outstanding work accomplished across the legal profession” and cover 23 separate categories, ranging from individual to firm-wide and sector-specific prizes.

Instead of a single prizegiving ceremony, winners will be announced during three online events next month, something which organisers have suggested itself indicates “what has been a very challenging year”.

Hall Brown is the only family law specialist and the only Manchester-headquartered firm to be nominated for one of the three size-based categories.

The shortlisting comes after Hall Brown announced a series of appointments as a result of its Sheffield office having “far exceeded expectations” in its first few months of operation.

Sheffield became the site of the firm’s third premises after the opening of Grade II-listed Ship Canal House in Manchester and its London office at Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

Along with further recruitment in Manchester, the Yorkshire appointees took Hall Brown’s total number of staff to 43, 31 of whom are fee-earners.

Late last year, Hall Brown was described as “exceptional” by Chambers and Partners, retaining its place as a Band One practice.

In addition, it retained its status as a Tier One firm in the Legal 500 rankings and was named among The Times’ 200 Best Law Firms in England and Wales for the second successive year.

Mr Brown and Mr Hall were also highly commended by judges of the 2019 Law Society Excellence Awards for their launch of a successful campaign to save the Family Drug and Alcohol Courts’ (FDAC) National Unit which concluded with the Government promising £15 million to support extend its work.