Categories: New Jersey Legal Awards (NJLA) 2023

For our Litigation Departments of the Year honors, we are once again targeting midsize and smaller firms in New Jersey (those with up to 200 lawyers total, firmwide).

Our other honors are open to firms of any size: Attorney of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Mentors, Unsung Heros, Dealmakers, Innovators and New Leaders of the Bar.

And of course, we have a special category, to recognize the work that New Jersey’s talented in-house attorneys do. In-House Impact seeks to recognize individual in-house attorneys at all levels, up to and including General Counsel, as well as groups, up to and including full legal departments.

Please note that for all Individual Attorneys, we are requiring that attorneys submit a Certificate of Good Standing, Certification of Court of Last Resort or alternative letter (see here for more information). You can upload a copy in the awards portal. If you do not have a copy of this letter upon submission, you need to certify that one will be sent if the nominee is selected.

And in keeping with tradition, we’ll assemble panels of esteemed members of the New Jersey Legal Community to assist our editorial staff in evaluating two of our most competitive categories: Attorney of the Year and New Leaders of the Bar.

Unless otherwise specified, all contest periods should be from Jan. 1, 2022 through the submission deadline.

We want to hear from you. Send us submissions in the following categories, and please read and follow all pertinent instructions carefully.

Law Firm of the Year

This award will go to the firm that has the best and most meritorious submissions across multiple categories. The purpose of the award is to recognize the NJ firm that has demonstrated a broad spectrum of achievements in the past year and talent depth. In order to be considered, firms must enter submissions across multiple categories. At a minimum, firms must submit in the following categories: New Leaders of the Bar, Lifetime and/or Mentors, Litigation and/or Dealmakers. Please register and log into the awards portal to view all nomination questions.

There is also a Q&A portion of a few short responses that will be published if the nominee is selected. Please register and log into the awards portal to view these questions.

New Leaders of the Bar

Attorneys yet to reach the age of 40 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. Please register and log into the awards portal to view all nomination questions.

Practice Areas:

Litigation
Transactional (Corporate or Real Estate)
Regulatory
Employment
Government or Public Interest
Other (Please specify)

Lifetime Achievement

Attorney of the Year

Dealmakers

Mentors

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 a brief letter 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. Please register and log into the awards portal to view all nomination questions.

Unsung Heroes

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 submitting a nomination letter up to 500 words. Please register and log into the awards portal to view all nomination questions.

Innovators

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. We are looking for people or firms that are tackling legal and/or business of law issues creatively, be that through technology, networking, design, communications or other areas. Please register and log into the awards portal to view all nomination questions.

In-House Impact

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 since January 1, 2022 until the submission deadline. Categories include, but are not limited to, outside counsel management, diversity, pro bono and community service, and general excellence. (Please note that we do not identify nominators to the nominees). Please register and log into the awards portal to view all nomination questions.

In-House Impact Q&A (500 total word limit for ENTIRE response)
What are some of your proudest achievements of 2022, and why?
How are in-house counsel roles evolving, and how have you or your team adapted?
In the traditionally insular role of in-house lawyer, what challenges have you overcome in standing out—in the legal profession at large and within your organization?
What is your best advice for in-house lawyers trying to make an impact, with their corporate clients, their communities, and beyond?

Litigation Departments of the Year (General)

The New Jersey Law Journal’s New Jersey Litigation Departments of the Year (midsize and small firms) contest will have two distinct portions: a general contest to award the top department in general litigation, as well as a contest to determine the top specialty practice departments. The competition is open to law firms of up to 200 attorneys, with a New Jersey presence; New Jersey lawyers must have had a significant impact on the work being presented, though the work does not need to have been done in New Jersey.

Categories are: General, Class Action, Insurance, Labor & Employment, Products Liability, Appellate, and Intellectual Property. Open to law firms with up to 200 attorneys. Please register and log into the awards portal to view all nomination questions.

General Litigation Category List of Cases: Describe 5-10 litigation results that demonstrate your department’s excellence.

This list can and should include trial and appellate results and could include pro bono results.
The results must have occurred between Jan. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2022.
Keep descriptions of each individual case under 500 words.
Each result must have been achieved by lawyers when they were members of your firm. Do not include results achieved by lateral hires when they were working for a different firm. Please highlight work done by New Jersey lawyers.
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.

General Litigation Essay: Write an essay explaining why your firm should be a finalist. Essay should be no longer than 1,000 words.

Describe what makes your firm stand out. Did you face specific challenges over the past two years? Did your litigation department have specific goals that it achieved? How is your firm pushing litigation in a new direction?

Litigation Departments of the Year (Specialty Category)

Law firms, tell us why your litigation groups excelled in 2022, by resolving matters for clients, working on significant appeals, handling cases that lead to impactful court decisions or other changes in the law, and otherwise achieving the status of strong and effective advocate. Submission in one or multiple categories is welcome. Categories are: General, Class Action, Insurance, Labor & Employment, Products Liability, Appellate, and Intellectual Property. Open to law firms with up to 200 attorneys.

Specific and verifiable information is expected whenever possible to help in the decision process. If your client was represented by more than one firm, please specify your firm’s role in the matter and why it was helpful to the client. Adding color helps paint the picture of why your department stands apart. We would like as much information as possible, even if some is confidential and can’t be published. Clearly mark any confidential information, but please do not make the entire submission confidential.

The specialty contest will award departments focused in each of six areas:

Intellectual Property
Products Liability/Mass Torts
Labor and Employment
Insurance (subrogation, reinsurance, etc.)
Professional Liability (medical malpractice, legal malpractice, etc.)
Class Action
Other

You are welcome to compete in more than one specialty category, but separate submissions will be expected for each. Submission instructions and deadline are the same as for general submissions. Please see above.

Describe 5 to 10 litigation results that demonstrate your department’s excellence in this specialty.

This list should include both trial and appellate work.
The results must have occurred between Jan. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2022.
Keep descriptions of each individual case under 500 words.
Each result must have been achieved by lawyers when they were members of your firm. Do not include results achieved by lateral hires when they were working for a different firm. Please highlight work done by New Jersey lawyers.
For each result, please include the names of clients, lead partners and opposing counsel, as well as contact information for all involved whenever possible.
Descriptions of results should include specific dollar amounts where relevant, but should focus on why the result demonstrates the excellence of your department.