Honing the focus of our traditional litigation department of the year competition to look at work that private law firms do for technology companies, venture capital funds, and start-ups that are the center of the local economy. Asks firms for four representative litigation matters handled by California-based lawyers. Awarding one winner and four finalists. No size restrictions between firms.

 

Awards the firm who handled the the most impressive mergers and acquisitions involving technology companies. Judged based on the size, scope, and sophistication of the underlying transactions and the firm’s role. Asks firms for three representative M&A deals handled by California-based lawyers. Awarding one winner and four finalists. No size restrictions between firms.

 

Awards the firm who helped clients in the start-up, pre-public and emerging company space navigate significant legal challenges to reach desired business outcomes. That could be anything from securing funding for a significant expansion, to filing papers to go public, to fending off a significant litigation threat. Asks firms for three start-up emerging company representations by California-based lawyers. Awarding one winner and two finalists.

 

With an eye toward legal departments that contribute to product development, this award would honor established company legal teams who have acted as problem solvers within their companies and contributed to the overall innovation culture within their respective companies. One overall winner and two runners-up.

 

With an eye toward legal departments that contribute to product development, this award would honor emerging company legal teams who have acted as problem solvers within their companies and contributed to the overall innovation culture within their respective companies. One overall winner and two runners-up.

 

This could highlight emerging and public company in-house ops teams of the year as well as company/firm ops collaborations. Awards handed out to one public company and one emerging company legal op department. We could possibly recognize an outside law firm for contributions in Legal Ops depending on interest and feedback from the ops community.

 

We could recognize individual practitioners who are tackling legal problems creatively be it through technology, collaboration with LPOs, engaging litigation funders, etc. Five individual winners.

 

Recognizing one alternative legal service provider for their contributions working for technology companies.

 

Recognizing the firms and in-house legal departments who either by collaboration or use of technology are making an impact in the community through pro bono effort. This would likely prioritize honoring those who provide direct legal services to indigent communities rather than highlighting the flashy impact litigation we tend to take not of. Three winners with priority going to in-house/law firm collaborations.

 

Recognizing successful partnerships between legal industry players that advance women attorneys, lawyers of color and other underrepresented groups. For example, this might be a law firm and company that team up to sponsor minority recruiting campaigns or mentorship programs. Three award winners with priority going to in-house/law firm collaborations.