Leading national law firm Blake Morgan has won two top awards at the first ever Wales Legal Awards.
The One Central Square-based firm was named ‘Corporate and Commercial Team of the Year’ and ‘Property and Construction Team of the Year’ at a glittering back tie ceremony in the Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel on Friday 17th May 2019.
The Wales Legal Awards were established to celebrate the success of those practising in and providing services to the legal profession, and to highlight excellence in all parts of the legal community.
Blake Morgan’s Real Estate Wales and Construction Wales teams, headed by James Egan and Rachel Gwilliam respectively, were named ‘Property and Construction Team of the Year’ in recognition of their innovative delivery model. The teams offer a holistic service to public, private and third sector clients across the full life cycle of projects and developments; from inception and design to practical and legal completion.
The real estate team has seen year-on-year revenue growth since 2014, advising on property transactions and delivering major projects across the private, public and third sectors for national clients across England and Wales.
The Blake Morgan Construction team is one of the most experienced in the UK with over 25 years’ experience acting for contractors, developers, house builders and social housing providers. Its team of specialist lawyers brings together expertise in estate management, regeneration, acquisitions, building and construction contracts, commercial leasing, funding and procurement.
The firm’s 15-strong Corporate and Commercial Wales teams, headed by Robert Cherry and Penri Desscan respectively, picked up the ‘Corporate and Commercial Team of the Year’ award in recognition of its excellence in delivery of complex, high-profile projects. These include the £5 billion South Wales Metro and Border Rail Franchises and infrastructure improvement works, a global ‘first of its type’ £1 billion drugs procurement aimed at eradicating hepatitis C in England; and advising on the design and build of three fast patrol vessels for fisheries enforcement duties around the Welsh Coast.
The Corporate and Commercial teams boast an international portfolio of multi-national firms, SMEs, owner managed businesses and start-ups that need high-quality corporate legal support and advice. In 2018, the firm handled over 100 transactions, with deal values ranging from sub-£5 million to £100 million upwards.
Commenting on the double win, Head of Blake Morgan in Wales, Eve Piffaretti, said:
“It’s a fantastic achievement for two of our teams to be recognised for their excellent work they do at the very first Wales Legal Awards.
“It’s very much testament to the hard work and dedication of our committed team of lawyers, and I’m very proud to see them recognised for their dedication to providing excellent legal services.”
Chair of the Wales Legal Awards judging panel, Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, said:
“I was thrilled to see the property, construction, commercial and corporate teams at Blake Morgan recognised amongst the best talent working in the legal profession in Wales today. In creating the Wales Legal Awards, we have focused on celebrating the achievements of the many specialised and talented teams to be found across Wales, along with their contribution to a vibrant Welsh legal industry.”