The Daily Business Review is sponsoring its annual Florida Legal Awards recognizing professional excellence in the legal community in assorted areas of the law.

Please note that these descriptions are only a guideline. You must log into the awardsforce portal to view the full questionnaire for each category. Some categories also include Q&A sections that are viewable in the portal.

Categories & Criteria

Law Firm of the Year

This prestigious award goes to the law firm that had a stellar year in the Florida legal community. To be considered, firms should submit to at least these categories: Litigation Departments of the Year, or Dealmakers or Real Estate; On the Rise; Distinguished Leaders or Lifetime Achievement; Pro Bono Attorney or Talent Management.

Please submit a 500-word essay explaining why you believe special recognition is deserved. To qualify, the firm’s work in 2025 had an impact in the field of law or the legal profession in Florida. Please mention at least one or two cases or deals in 2025 that exemplify the impact and significance. Be specific—include info such as dates, names of the company or client represented, and award or deal amounts. Or, if the law firm implemented a big project in 2025, share the details and impact of that project.

On the Rise (Small/Midsize Firms and Large Firms)

This program recognizes the region’s most promising lawyers under the age of 40 as of the nomination deadline. To qualify, the lawyers must work in Florida. We’re looking for lawyers who have wielded influence in their practice areas in Florida and beyond. They should be innovators, developing unique practice niches, amassing robust books of business, demonstrating strong leadership qualities, showing expertise in litigation or transactional work, and committing themselves to pro bono, charitable and professional volunteer work. For this contest, we are asking you to provide:

1.  1. An essay of no more than 500 words describing why the nominee should be selected.
2.  2. A biography of the nominee, including the following information:
  • Employer, Title, City, Birthdate (confidential), Education
  • Legal work experience including notable cases, transactions and clients, dates and employer names
  • Other relevant information, such as awards, affiliations and significant publications

3.  A high-resolution photo of the nominee.

Distinguished Leaders

This award recognizes Florida-based lawyers who achieved impressive results in 2025 and, in doing so, demonstrated clear leadership skills. That could be a litigation team leader winning a notable case against unfavorable odds, a managing partner who helped the firm negotiate a key acquisition, a judge who oversaw a large mass tort program, a public interest attorney who helped pass legislation or in-house counsel who revamped the legal department. An essay of up to 400 words should describe the leader's role in achieving noteworthy results.

Any information about projects, cases, or other accomplishments should include dates, in order to show that the work was achieved in 2025. Any information about cases should include the name of the company or client represented.

Best Mentors

The Best Mentor award honors Florida attorneys who take it upon themselves to prepare the next generation of legal talent. We are looking for someone who passed along valuable knowledge to younger attorneys, paving the way for advancement and stellar contributions to the profession. Please submit a 400-word nomination explaining why you believe special recognition is deserved.

Lifetime Achievement

Nominees for the Lifetime Achievement award will be recognized for having a significant impact on the practice of law in Florida over a notable legal career. Mention at least two landmark cases or deals from any time period that exemplify the impact and significance of this attorney's career.

Please submit a 400-word nomination explaining why you believe special recognition is deserved.

Attorney of the Year Award

To qualify, a nominee's work in 2025 produced a distinct impact in the field of law or the legal profession in Florida. Please mention at least one or two cases or deals in 2025 that exemplify the impact and significance of this attorney’s career. Be specific—include info such as dates, names of the company or client represented, and award or deal amounts. Or, if the attorney instead oversaw a big project in 2025, share the details and impact of that project.

Please submit a 400-word nomination explaining why you believe special recognition is deserved. The Daily Business Review will recognize three finalists and name one Attorney of the Year at an April 2026 event in Miami.

Unsung Heroes

Choose an attorney who has gone unnoticed for, or worked behind the scenes on, particularly important work. To nominate yourself, a friend or colleague, please submit a 400-word nomination.

Litigation Departments of the Year


Open to Law Firms With Offices in Florida

This award is aimed at recognizing law firms in Florida for general litigation and top specialty practice groups. We want to identify and reward powerhouse practices in our area, and we understand many lawyers and law firms have regional or national practices. We would like you to submit matters led by Florida attorneys, but their cases could be litigated anywhere.

Please compose separate submissions by category. Submissions from the same firm for multiple practice areas are encouraged. Pay special attention to the department's overall litigation work and cases in specialty areas, such as commercial, products liability/mass torts, bankruptcy, intellectual property, insurance, labor and employment, real estate, construction, professional regulation, white-collar and all other practice areas.

Categories:
  • General Litigation
  • Products liability/mass torts
  • Bankruptcy
  • Intellectual property
  • Insurance
  • Labor and employment
  • Real estate
  • Construction

For each entry, we are asking you to submit the following:

  • A list of at least four or five litigation results obtained pretrial, in trial or on appeal in 2025 with brief descriptions of their significance and ranked in order or importance based on the significance of the result for your client and contributions made by your Florida lawyers. * The description of results should include specific dollar awards or amounts in controversy where relevant but should focus on why the result demonstrates the excellence of your department. Please include the names of clients, lead partners and opposing counsel. If your client was represented by more than one firm, please specify your firm's role. (Do not include results achieved by lateral hires when they were working for a different firm.)
  • An essay of up to 500 words explaining why your firm should win. Factors we’re looking at are the importance and difficulty of the matters handled, the quality of opposing counsel, ingenuity and diligence. This is no place for false modesty!

Unless otherwise marked, all information submitted will be considered on the record.
 

Innovators

We're looking for examples of innovation, whether it’s a new practice group or program, upgrades to internal operations, or technology for use by the firm or clients. To qualify, the bulk of the nominee's work should have been completed in 2025. Please submit a 400-word nomination explaining why you believe the nominee differentiated himself or herself in a crowded market.

Real Estate Attorney of the Year

This award highlights major real estate transactions completed by an individual attorney. To qualify, the relevant work should have been completed in 2025. Please include details such as dates, names of companies or clients represented, and deal amounts. If it is available, please include at least one piece of news coverage of at least one deal. Please submit a 400-word nomination explaining why you believe special recognition is deserved.

Real Estate Firm of the Year

This award highlights major real estate transactions completed by a law firm. To qualify, the relevant work should have been completed in 2025. Please include details such as dates, names of companies or clients represented, and deal amounts. If it is available, please include at least one piece of news coverage of at least one deal. Please submit a 400-word nomination explaining why you believe special recognition is deserved.

Construction

This award highlights major deals or litigation wins when it comes to new builds, major renovations, or any other work within the field of construction law. To qualify, the bulk of the nominee’s work should be completed in 2025. Please include details such as dates, names of companies or clients represented, and deal or award amounts. Submit a 400-word nomination explaining why you believe special recognition is deserved.

Talent Management (Individual)

This award recognizes a lawyer from an underrepresented community who has overcome insurmountable odds to achieve success and/or someone who’s had an outsized influence on inclusivity initiatives to make people of all backgrounds feel welcome at their firm or organization. An essay of up to 400 words should describe this person’s role in achieving noteworthy results in 2025. Please include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi.

Talent Management (Firm)

This award recognizes a law firm that had an outsized influence on inclusivity initiatives to make people of all backgrounds feel welcome at their firm or organization. An essay of up to 400 words should describe any projects the firm implements and any noteworthy results in 2025.

Dealmakers of the Year

This award highlights major transactions in Florida in areas other than real estate. Areas can include, but aren’t limited to, corporate, M&A, venture capital, bankruptcy, and tax. To qualify, the bulk of the nominee’s work should be completed in 2025. Please submit a 400-word nomination explaining why you believe special recognition is deserved.

Pro Bono Attorney of the Year

This award recognizes a lawyer who has had inspiring success on a 2025 pro bono case or who dedicated a notable amount of their time in 2025 to pro bono work to achieve meaningful results. Include details such as dates and the circumstances of the client. Submit a short essay (400 words or less) about why this nominee deserves recognition in this particular category.

We also request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected. Please include a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi.

Cross-Border Disputes

This is open to Florida law firms that handle cross-border litigation. These disputes could involve any country in the world. Please submit a 500-word nomination explaining why you believe special recognition is deserved. Include a description of the results obtained in 2025 with brief descriptions of their significance and ranked in order of importance. Include dates and the names of the companies or clients who were represented. Include specific dollar awards or amounts in controversy where relevant, but focus on why the result demonstrates the excellence of your team.

Please include the names of clients, lead partners, opposing counsel and contact information for them. If your client was represented by more than one firm, please specify your firm's role. (Do not include results achieved by lateral hires when they were working for a different firm.)

In-House Impact

This recognizes an in-house lawyer who had a significant accomplishment in 2025. Aspects to consider include budgeting, corporate compliance, outside counsel management, technology, diversity, quality of life, community service and special performance by solo general counsel. To nominate yourself, a colleague or friend, please submit a 400-word nomination.

Managing Partner of the Year

These are the leaders of the Florida offices who seem to do it all. They balance their caseloads with management of their firm’s day-to-day affairs, while keeping an eye on the firm’s long-term strategic vision. To qualify, the bulk of the relevant work should have been completed in 2025, and the nominee must be Florida-based. Nominations will include an essay about why the nominee should be selected, a high-resolution portrait photo, and a short Q&A profile.

Submit an essay (up to 500 words) nominating a managing partner based in Florida and explaining how they led the office to excellence in the past year.

Maritime Attorney of the Year

This award recognizes Florida-based lawyers who achieved impressive results in 2025 in the field of maritime law. An essay of up to 400 words should describe the attorney’s role in achieving noteworthy results. Any information about cases, deals, or other accomplishments should include timelines and dates, in order to show that the work was achieved in 2025. Any information about cases should include the name of the company or client represented.

Most Promising Newcomer

Open to anyone in Florida with 1-3 years of experience as an attorney, this award honors a newcomer who has shown exceptional potential and legal acumen. We’re looking to recognize newly qualified lawyers who have made a major impact on their businesses and communities, demonstrating the qualities necessary for them to quickly climb the career ladder. Nominations should provide specific examples of how they have proven themselves. Include any side projects they have launched.

Please submit a 500-word essay describing why this nominee deserves to win and a high-resolution color photo of the nominee, at least 200 dpi. We also request a short Q&A from the honoree that will be published if they are selected.

Please contact Recognition Events Manager Pearl Wu at pwu@alm.com if you have any questions.