Independent UK law firm Burges Salmon has secured two nominations at this year’s Legal Week Innovation Awards, which celebrate innovation in the legal sector along with precedent-setting, game-changing projects and initiatives.
The firm has been shortlisted in the ‘Client Management Innovation’ and ‘CSR Innovation – Social’ categories, with winners set to be announced on 28 May 2021 at a virtual ceremony.
For ‘Client Management Innovation’, Burges Salmon has been recognised for its Online Distressed Contracts Toolkit, a web application helping the firm’s clients to identify, navigate and work through complex legal issues, developed in response to the COVID-19 crisis and the pressures on commercial contracts at this time.
At the onset of the first national lockdown in 2020, a multidisciplinary Burges Salmon team developed the application – a project that would usually take 12 weeks was delivered in just 10 days. The toolkit is designed for in-house legal advisers and senior commercial managers, providing a clearly mapped user journey to navigate complex contractual options such as the risks involved in using force majeure.
The second shortlisting, in the ‘CSR Innovation – Social’ category, recognises the firm for its partnership with Bristol Hub Social Innovation Programme (SIP), an initiative that brings students together to provide a pro bono consultancy service for charities and social enterprises.
The eight-week programme, now in its fifth year, is designed to bring benefits across three fronts: supporting community organisations through adding capacity, providing new perspectives and raising awareness of their work; helping students to develop skills and increasing their awareness of local social issues; and enabling Burges Salmon volunteers to develop leadership and management skills, and to support the local community.
Roger Bull, Burges Salmon’s Managing Partner, says: “Innovating client service delivery, community engagement and investing in our people are all high on our strategic agenda and it’s fantastic to be recognised with two nominations at the Legal Week Innovation Awards for our efforts in, and commitment to, these areas.
“Our clients have given positive feedback about our Online Distressed Contracts Toolkit, particularly regarding its user-friendly and intuitive interface, and we were pleased to offer this value-added service to support them through the challenges of the pandemic.
“The partnership with Bristol Hub SIP is also something we’re very proud of; since its launch, more than 200 students, 30 Burges Salmon mentors and 30 community partners have benefitted. We look forward to continuing this programme in years to come.”