This prestigious award goes to the law firm that had a stellar year in the New Jersey 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 New Jersey. 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.

Attorneys yet to reach the age of 40 before the submission deadline who bring both notable achievements and outstanding potential to the table. Nominees can be from law firms, corporate legal departments, or other types of organizations. Achievements as a practitioner, businessperson, organization leader and member of the legal community in New Jersey all are considered. 

1. Essay: Please submit an essay of up to 500 words on why this nominee should win in this category.

Recognizing a single attorney who has left a mark on the profession through consistent excellence in his or her career by moving the law forward, achieving significant litigation results, or otherwise making an impact. Send a brief essay (up to 500 words) introducing the candidate, and explaining why he or she deserves the recognition. 

Essay: Please submit an essay of up to 500 words on why this nominee should win in this category.

The name speaks for itself, but the ideal candidate will have made his or her mark on the profession, and in the law, with an achievement in the past year that goes beyond service to the client. Send a brief letter (up to 500 words) introducing the candidate, and explaining why he or she made the greatest impact of all during the year.

Essay: Please submit an essay of up to 500 words on why this nominee should win in this category.

While New Jersey boasts excellent litigators, it is also home to talented and hardworking transactional lawyers. Send an essay (up to 500 words) nominating a practitioner or group in corporate, M&A, real estate, bankruptcy or another transactional practice explaining how that practitioner or group achieved excellence in 2025.

Essay: Please submit an essay of up to 500 words on why this nominee should win in this category.

It takes talent and determination to become an excellent practitioner, but teaching others is a talent unto itself. Good mentors can take those around them to the next level, whether through formal mentorship programs or simply serving as good leaders and guides. In an essay of up to 500 words, tell us about someone at your firm or organization who takes the time and effort to be a true mentor, and why he or she excels at it.

Essay: Please submit an essay of up to 500 words on why this nominee should win in this category.

Whether it’s drafting an important brief or contract, working with experts or other witnesses, arguing a case that went unreported, or being a strong business generator or firm leader, much of the excellent work done each day in New Jersey is a credit to those working long hours behind the scenes. Nominate an individual practitioner who is indispensable to the efforts of the firm or organization by sending a nomination essay up to 500 words.

Essay: Please submit an essay of up to 500 words on why this nominee should win in this category.

Awards will go out to individuals that have made strides in innovation. This can include technology and communications, business or cultural innovations, including such improvements as renovations, remodels and consolidations. We are looking for people who are tackling legal and/or business of law issues creatively, be that through technology, networking, design, communications or other areas.

Essay: Please submit an essay of up to 500 words on why this nominee should win in this category.

The work of in-house lawyers is often unheralded, but those lawyers are impacting the practice of law, and those around them, every day. This honor recognizes a general counsel, legal department or in-house attorney who had a significant accomplishment in 2025. Categories include, but are not limited to, outside counsel management, diversity, pro bono and community service, and general excellence. 

Essay: Please describe in 500 words or less what makes your department stand out in this particular category.

This award is aimed at recognizing law firms in New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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 class action, insurance, labor and employment, products Liability, appellate, and intellectual property.

Categories:

• General Litigation
• Class Action
• Insurance
• Labor and Employment
• Products Liability
• Appellate
• Intellectual Property
   

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 New Jersey 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.

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 New Jersey's legal community? 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)

This is a special category that allows associates and partners a chance to nominate their favorite leaders in the region. What has your managing partner done to ensure success at their office ? Please provide an essay on why this leader deserves to win, and any accomplishments achieved as leader of this office. (500-word essay)

How has your firm excelled in the banking and finance industry? Please highlight recent accomplishments and specific successes with clients and markets that have made a measurable impact. Submit a short essay explaining why your firm deserves this award, providing examples of how your firm stands out in the industry. (500-word essay) 

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 500-word nomination explaining why you believe special recognition is deserved.

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 (500 words or less) about why this nominee deserves recognition in this particular category.

This award recognizes a lawyer who has excelled in IP Law. Please highlight recent accomplishments and how the candidate has succeeded alongside technological advancements and challenges facing the industry. Submit a short essay about why they deserve this award, being sure to highlight specific successes in litigation or tangible impact of their work. (500-word essay) 

We’re looking to highlight practices that had an outsized impact on cannabis law in 2025. Please highlight recent accomplishments in this rapidly evolving industry, including complex litigation and regulatory matters your firm was involved in, and contribute a short essay outlining why the candidate deserves this award. Submissions should also describe the practice’s leadership and impact in the cannabis industry. (500-word essay) 

New Jersey has a long and active tradition with the gaming industry. We’re looking to highlight practices that had an outsized impact on this dynamic industry in 2025. Submissions should emphasize innovative approaches, new strategies, or solutions that helped clients navigate changes in the gaming industry. Please highlight recent work in regulation, compliance, transactional support, litigation, etc., and contribute a short essay outlining why the candidate deserves this award. (500-word essay) 

Is there a judge, or retired judge practicing as a mediator or arbitrator (including ADR professionals and sitting jurists), doing exceptionally poignant and effective work? Tell us which officiator went above and beyond the call of duty to be fair and judicious. To nominate yourself, a friend or colleague, please submit a nomination. We will ask for relevant information about the nominee and a short essay about why they deserve to win. (500-word essay) 

This award recognizes law firms’ successful implementation of artificial intelligence for internal processes or client-facing work. Winning submissions should show practical innovation—deploying AI-enabled tools, workflows, or products that enhance service delivery and operations. Entries should describe the problem addressed, the solution built, who used it, and the results achieved in practice today. (500-word essay)