Stratford-upon-Avon law firm Lodders Solicitors has topped some of the biggest firms in the country after featuring highly in the Managing Partners’ Forum European Leadership Awards.
Battling rivals many times its size in some cases, the business managed two second places in the prestigious honours list.
Managing partner Rod Bird said the firm was “enormously proud” of the achievement.
Lodders Solicitors was runner up in both the Best Led Firm and Best Managed Workplace categories.
The winners were announced at a black-tie dinner and ceremony at the London Marriott, Grosvenor Square presided over by former World, European and Commonwealth 110m hurdles champion, Colin Jackson as master of ceremonies.
The awards focus on leadership, collaboration, vision, brands, operational excellence, client relationships and financial performance. Commercial success, innovation and continuous performance improvement plus teamwork also feature strongly.
At Lodders Solicitors, 92 per cent of clients rated the way the firm is managed as excellent or very good.
It scored above average in providing leadership, making decisions promptly, managing change and providing a clear sense of direction. Ninety-three per cent of employees were proud to be associated with the firm and would recommend it as a good place to work.
Chairman of the judges Alan Hodgart described the judging process as rigorous with quality the sole determinant. In fact so rigorous that the short list in some categories failed to achieve a full complement.
Lodders Solicitors is owned by a nine-strong team. It has a non-executive chairman from outside the legal profession and a former banker as its finance director.
Saying the structure was “innovative”, Mr Bird said he and his colleagues looked to manage by consensus.
“We have worked to achieve high levels of challenge and support, preventing either a cosy club culture or the creation of barriers between leadership and management.
“We engage with a broad spectrum of our people both to make them and our organisation more effective,” he said.
The MPF is the world’s leading association of managing partners from across the spectrum of professional service firms. It aims to provide educational and networking opportunities designed to spread the word on best practice while enhancing leadership and the status of the management team.