Employment Partner Emilie Cole Nominated For Two Awards

National law firm Irwin Mitchell has received three nominations in this year’s LexisNexis Legal Awards, including the coveted Firm of The Year category. The winners will be unveiled at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in London on 11 March.

In addition to Firm of the Year, Irwin Mitchell’s Emilie Cole has capped a memorable 2019, with nominations in Legal Personality of the Year and (new for 2020) Case of the Year categories.

Since 2013, the LexisNexis Legal Awards have been recognising and celebrating excellence and innovation across the legal sector. The awards are judged by a panel of leading figures drawn from the legal world, including the Chair of the Bar and the President of the Law Society.

Emilie’s landmark victory for her client, District Judge Claire Gilham in the Supreme Court has been shortlisted as Case of the Year. Following a seven-year long case against the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that judges should be entitled to safeguards granted to whistle-blowers under the Employment Rights Act, to make disclosures in the public interest.

The case received considerable attention and with Emilie acting for Judge Gilham from the start, played no small part in her nomination for Legal Personality of the Year, recognition of the importance of the case and the key role she played in its successful conclusion for her client.

Emilie Cole, partner in the employment team at Irwin Mitchell, said: “It’s amazing to be nominated in two categories at the LexisNexis Awards. I’m very humbled by it. Judge Gilham fought hard for many years and as the case is such a massive step forward in equality law, it is nice to see it recognised.

“To be nominated in three categories is a great achievement and a fantastic start to 2020. Emilie’s nominations are richly deserved and really show the legal talent we have at our disposal.

That Irwin Mitchell has also been nominated as Firm of the Year is further recognition of the hard work that all our colleagues have put in and more importantly, the success we have been able to consistently deliver for our clients over the past year.” Andrew Tucker CEO

Emilie’s case was one of two different cases won by Irwin Mitchell in the Supreme Court on the same day in October last year. In addition to Emilie’s whistle-blowing case against the Ministry of Justice, Irwin Mitchell’s Anthony Nixon and Clementine Burch saw the court rule that a gift by will to a charitable trust subject to the law of Jersey is exempt from inheritance tax.

The news of the LexisNexis nominations follows a fantastic start to 2020 by Irwin Mitchell. The Manchester office has also been shortlisted in six categories in the Manchester Legal Awards, the firm’s highest ever number.