Open to Firms, Organizations and Legal Departments of Companies in the Southeast Legal Community 

Awards will go out to both solo practitioners/small firms and larger firms/corporate in-house legal departments that have made strides in innovation. This can include technology and communications, business or cultural innovations, including such improvements as renovations, remodels and consolidations, plus a firm’s use of social media. We are looking for firms that are tackling legal and/or business of law issues creatively, be that through technology, networking, design, communications or other areas. 

Open to Southeast-based Lawyers from Public or Private Companies and Organizations 

This recognizes an in-house lawyer or legal professional who had a significant accomplishment in 2026. Please submit an essay of up to 500 words that should describe the nominee’s skills, strategies and results. 

Open to Southeast-based in-house counsel teams from Public or Private Companies and Organizations 

This recognizes an in-house legal department  who had a significant accomplishment in 2026. Please submit an essay of up to 500 words that should describe the nominee’s skills, strategies and results. 

These awards are open to all law firms with any-sized Southeastern presence. We would like you to submit matters led by Southeastern attorneys, but their cases could be litigated anywhere. We plan to name winners in each sub-category but, depending on the quality of the entries, multiple winners may be named in one group and none in another.  

For General Litigation, please submit the following: 

• List four or five of your top litigation successes in which the result occurred in 2026.  

• Each result must have been achieved by lawyers while they were members of your firm based in a Southeastern office. Do not include results achieved by lateral hires when they were working for a different firm.  

• For each result, please include the names of clients, lead partners and opposing counsel.  

• Descriptions of results should include specific dollar amounts where relevant, but should focus on why the result demonstrates the excellence of your department. Unless otherwise marked, all information submitted will be considered on the record. If your client was represented by more than one firm, please specify your firm’s role. 

• An essay of no more than 500 words explaining why your firm deserves the award. Factors we’re looking for are the importance and difficulty of the matters handled, the quality of opposing counsel, ingenuity and diligence. This is no place for false modesty! 

These awards are open to all law firms with any-sized Southeastern presence. We would like you to submit matters led by Southeastern attorneys, but their cases could be litigated anywhere. We plan to name winners in each sub-category but, depending on the quality of the entries, multiple winners may be named in one group and none in another.  

Please compose separate submissions for each sub-category: 

• Appellate 

• Insurance 

• Intellectual Property 

• Labor and Employment 

• Personal Injury 

• Products Liability 

• Tech *New*

• White Collar

For each sub-category, please submit the following: 

• List four or five of your top litigation successes in which the result occurred in 2026.  

• Each result must have been achieved by lawyers while they were members of your firm based in a Southeastern office. Do not include results achieved by lateral hires when they were working for a different firm.  

• For each result, please include the names of clients, lead partners and opposing counsel.  

• Descriptions of results should include specific dollar amounts where relevant, but should focus on why the result demonstrates the excellence of your department. Unless otherwise marked, all information submitted will be considered on the record. If your client was represented by more than one firm, please specify your firm’s role. 

• Briefly describe your firm’s biggest litigation loss in the past two years, with names of opposing counsel. 

• An essay of no more than 500 words explaining why your firm deserves the award. Factors we’re looking for are the importance and difficulty of the matters handled, the quality of opposing counsel, ingenuity and diligence. This is no place for false modesty! 

Open to Managing Partners in the Southeast Legal Community 

Leaders who have had a huge, impactful year, a year that stands out among their peers. We welcome nominations of managing partners of offices or firms based in the Southeastern region. Please submit an essay of up to 500 words that describes why this nominee deserves the recognition. 

Open to Anyone in the Southeast Legal Community with 1-3 years of experience as an attorney 

This award honors an individual in their first years as an attorney who has shown exceptional potential, work ethic, and legal acumen. We’re looking to recognize newly qualified lawyers who have made a major impact on their businesses, demonstrating the qualities necessary for them to quickly climb the career ladder. Nominations should demonstrate examples of leadership potential, initiative, contributions to the community, and any notable talents. 

Open to Anyone in the Southeast Legal Community age 40 and under as of the submission deadline 

The Daily Report’s On The Rise program recognizes the Southeast’s most promising lawyers age of 40 and under as of the submission deadline. This year the Daily Report will be assisted in the selection process by a panel of esteemed lawyers. To qualify for the On the Rise award, the lawyers must work in the Southeast. 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. Please submit an essay of up to 500 words and a high resolution color photo. 

We are specifically looking for practice areas:  

• Commercial Litigation 

• Class Actions/Mass Torts 

• Employment/Labor 

• Securities 

• Intellectual Property 

• Insurance 

• Employment/Labor 

• Environmental, Social, and Governance  

• Investigations/White Collar Defense 

• State/Local Government Enforcement Litigation   

• Mergers & Acquisitions 

Do you know a lawyer or law firm that has made a significant contribution to talent management, including efforts aimed at recruiting, pipeline development and retention, in the Southeast? Awards will be presented for both individual attorneys and law firms that have made substantial progress in improving their firm's retention and inclusion efforts. (500-word essay)