Categories

To enter the Women and Diversity in Law Awards, please click on the category you wish to enter and follow the instructions. It’s free and simple to enter.

Entry Instructions

The awards are open to people working in any capacity in the UK legal sector, so long as they meet the category criteria. The same principle applies to organisations and teams. Individuals may enter a maximum of three categories.

Please note that while the Outstanding Women Leaders and Outstanding Women Practitioners sections are reserved for women, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion section is open to everyone.

Time period

The awards recognise achievements in the period after September 2024, although it is understood that entries may touch on events prior to this date. For example, a case may have started before then. Equally, a case may not be complete, but a significant landmark may have been reached during the time period.

Rising stars

The rising star categories are reserved for lawyers who will have had no more than six years of post-qualification experience as of 4 December 2025 (the deadline for entries).

Categories

Each category has its own specific instructions and criteria. Read these instructions carefully and take care to follow them. The entry forms have strict word limits. In order to ensure an equitable process — and streamline judging for our panel — entrants must use the online form. When asked to provide evidence of success or achievement, back up your narrative with evidence, which will typically contain metrics. At the same time, set out to inspire the judges with a well-told story that paints a three-dimensional portrait of the individual, team, or business.

Supporting evidence

One piece of supporting evidence is permitted. However, remember that the judges are only likely to take this into account if they are impressed by the entry.

Links

It isn’t possible to include HTML links in the online form. These can be added to the supporting document.

Confidentiality

We may draw from you entry in order, for example, to highlight details of winning or highly commended entries. However, clearly marked confidential information will be respected.

Category selection

The organisers reserve the right to move entries to different categories if it is felt these are more appropriate.

Outstanding Women Leaders 

Open to UK-based women in any role within the legal sector.

This award recognises exceptional achievement by a woman in the legal profession. This could be due to a particular project/campaign/case/deal or it could reflect achievement in a particular role, such as the leader of a legal business. She will demonstrate skill, judgement, leadership, and integrity and be guided by purpose and values, including a demonstrable commitment to furthering diversity and inclusion (D&I). In doing so she will be an inspiration for future leaders.

As this is a highly competitive category, entrants are advised to make an additional entry in another relevant category.
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Open to UK-based women in leadership positions within international law firms.

The winner will be an exceptional leader, setting and delivering on strategic goals while also ensuring the business operates ethically and with integrity, guided by purpose and values, including a demonstrable commitment to furthering D&I. In doing so she will be an inspiration for future leaders.
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Open to UK-based women in leadership positions within national or regional UK law firms.

The winner will be an exceptional leader, setting and delivering on strategic goals while also ensuring the business operates ethically and with integrity, guided by purpose and values including a demonstrable commitment to furthering D&I. In doing so she will be an inspiration for future leaders.
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Open to UK-based women in leadership positions within a boutique law firm.

The winner will be an exceptional leader, setting and delivering on strategic goals while also ensuring the business operates ethically and with integrity, guided by purpose and values including a demonstrable commitment to furthering D&I. In doing so she will be an inspiration for future leaders.
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Open to UK-based general counsel.

The winner will be an exceptional leader, setting and delivering on strategic goals while also ensuring her team and organisation operate ethically and with integrity, guided by purpose and values, including a demonstrable commitment to furthering D&I. In doing so she will be an inspiration for future leaders.
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Open to UK-based women who are in leadership positions and/or are founders of suppliers to the legal sector.

This award recognises the crucial role of suppliers within the legal sector and the need for positive role models, particularly in certain fields such as legal tech. The winner will demonstrate skill, judgement, leadership and integrity and be guided by purpose and values, including a demonstrable commitment to furthering D&I.
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Open to UK-based women who are not legal practitioners and who do not hold senior roles.

This award recognises the contribution being made to the legal profession by women who are making a special, but unsung, contribution to their organisation.
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Open to UK-based women who have successfully returned to work after an extended period of leave or career break.

This award recognises the challenges associated with returning to work. In doing so, it is hoped that best practice can be gathered and collated for future returners.
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Outstanding Women Practitioners 

Open to UK-based women court advocates.

The winner will have made an exceptional contribution to the legal profession through the quality of their legal work backed up by a commitment to furthering D&I.
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Open to UK-based women transactional lawyers.

The winner will have made an exceptional contribution to the legal profession through the quality of their legal work backed up by a commitment to furthering DE&I. This category requires the entrant to focus on a standout matter that exemplifies the quality of her work.

The winner will have provided an outstanding result for her client and provide evidence of technical legal excellence, innovation, leadership, and client satisfaction as well as to furthering DE&I.

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Open to UK-based women disputes lawyers.

The winner will have made an exceptional contribution to the legal profession through the quality of their legal work backed up by a commitment to furthering D&I.
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Open to UK-based women commercial lawyers.

Commercial is broadly defined as not related to deals, disputes or court advocacy, for example employment, pensions, IT, private client or family. The winner will have made an exceptional contribution to the legal profession through the quality of their legal work backed up by a commitment to furthering D&I.
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Open to UK-based women in-house lawyers.

The winner will have made an exceptional contribution to the legal profession through the quality of their legal work backed up by a commitment to furthering D&I.
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Open to UK-based women lawyers at international law firms with no more than six years of post-qualification experience, as of 1 January 2026.

The winner will have made an exceptional start to their legal career through their legal work with the promise to be a future leader. They must also be making a wider contribution to the profession, helping to make it more diverse and inclusive.
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Open to UK-based women lawyers at national or regional law firms with no more than six years of post-qualification experience, as of 1 January 2026.

The winner will have made an exceptional start to their legal career through their legal work with the promise to be a future leader. They must also be making a wider contribution to the profession, helping to make it more diverse and inclusive.
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Open to UK-based women lawyers at boutique law firms with no more than six years of post-qualification experience, as of 1 January 2026.

The winner will have made an exceptional start to their legal career through their legal work with the promise to be a future leader. They must also be making a wider contribution to the profession, helping to make it more diverse and inclusive.
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Open to UK-based women in-house lawyers with no more than six years of post-qualification experience, as of 1 January 2026.

The winner will have made an exceptional start to their legal career through their legal work with the promise to be a future leader. They must also be making a wider contribution to the profession, helping to make it more diverse and inclusive
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Open to UK-based women barristers practising at the independent Bar with no more than six years of experience as a practising lawyer, as of 1 January 2026.

The winner will have made an exceptional start to their legal career through their legal work with the promise to be a future leader. They must also be making a wider contribution to the profession, helping to make it more diverse and inclusive.
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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 

Open to UK-based law firms and overseas firms with a substantial presence in the UK

This award seeks to recognise the progress law firms are making towards improving their D&I credentials. The judges will be looking to recognise an innovative D&I strategy that is being implemented successfully. Internal initiatives, client work and collaborations, and community programmes are all likely to feature in the winning entry.
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Open to UK-based legal departments.

This award recognises the crucial role clients play in improving D&I within the legal profession. The judges will be looking to recognise an innovative strategy that is being implemented successfully. Internal initiatives within the department and across the business, engagement with external legal advisers, and community programmes are all likely to feature in the winning entry.
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Open to UK-based not-for-profit organisations and representative bodies operating within the legal sector.

This award seeks to recognise a charity, campaign group or representative body which, through its activities, has advanced the cause of D&I within the legal sector.
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Open to UK-based suppliers to the legal sector

This award recognises products and services that are advancing D&I in the legal profession. It will require entrants to focus on a particular product or service that has been an outstanding success during the award period.
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Open to UK-based individuals holding a specialist role in the field of D&I.

This award recognises people who are making an exceptional contribution to the enhancement of D&I within the legal sector in a specialist diversity-focused capacity. They can be at any level of seniority and can be team members as well as leaders.
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Open to UK-based individuals working in any capacity within the legal sector.

This award recognises the vital importance of mentorship in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within the legal profession. The mentor of the year will be someone who inspires others to be the best they can be, helping them to overcome obstacles that put them at a disadvantage when compared to colleagues and therefore achieve their full potential.
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Open to UK-based individuals and teams at law firms, chambers and legal departments.

This award sets out to recognise an initiative or over-arching programme that has successfully furthered diversity and inclusion. It can relate to the business or institution, or it can be community focused.
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Open to UK-based legal services professionals.

This award recognises legal services professionals who are making an exceptional contribution to the enhancement of D&I within the legal sector by fulfilling additional roles alongside their legal work, for example by leading a taskforce within their organisation, through voluntary work or through their work on a representative body. Legal services professionals can be broadly described as anyone working within the legal sector in a professional role who is neither a practising lawyer nor a trainee lawyer, and who is not working in a specialist diversity role. It can, for example, include recruitment, technology or consulting professionals, or people in law firm roles such as marketing and business development.
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Open to UK-based in-house lawyers.

This award recognises in-house lawyers who are making an exceptional contribution to the enhancement of D&I within the legal sector by fulfilling additional roles alongside their legal work, for example by leading a taskforce within their organisation, through voluntary work or through their work on a representative body.
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Open to UK-based barristers.

This award recognises barristers who are making an exceptional contribution to the enhancement of D&I within the legal sector by fulfilling additional roles alongside their legal work, for example by leading a taskforce within their organisation, through voluntary work or through their work on a representative body.
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