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Bird & Bird takes top awards at the FT Innovative Lawyers 2014

Bird & Bird is pleased to announce that it has won two awards in this year's Financial Times Innovative Lawyers awards, Most Innovative Law Firm in Client Service and Legal Innovator of the Year.

Bird & Bird was presented with the top award in Client Service, for its innovative Virtual General Counsel service led by partner Howard Rubin, judges commented that it was "an example of a service that could only be created in the digital age".

London partner Joanne Wheeler also took the top spot and was named Legal Innovator of the Year. Joanne was "the overwhelming choice of the judges" and "judges were also impressed by Ms Wheeler's strong references from satellite industry figures and by her role in advising companies and government in an area of the law that is developing rapidly and bolding going into new legal worlds".

Bird & Bird was named second in the Corporate Strategy category for having recognised disruptive technology as an emerging market.

The firm also received commendations in the Value Resourcing category, for its work with DECC to roll out Smart Meters to 30m homes in the UK, and in the Dispute Resolution category for the team's work persuading an English court that it could rule on declarations of non-infringement on non-UK patents.
These achievements helped to place the firm 13th in the table of top 50 law firm innovators.

FT Innovative Lawyers is a joint venture with RSG Consulting, a specialist legal research company with decades of experience analysing the legal industry. The intensive research process includes in-depth interviews with referees, expert commentators and market research surveys. In 2014, the RSG research team conducted over 500 in-depth interviews to reach the final rankings.

David Kerr, CEO, Bird & Bird said: "Given our focus on industries that are being disrupted by technology and new ways of working, our reputation for innovation is very important. I am delighted that we have won two awards and been commended in two other categories at one of Europe's most important legal awards, which is focused on recognising innovation. To have one of our lawyers named the Legal Innovator of the Year and to have been awarded the Most Innovative Law Firm for Client Service - two of the most prestigious awards - is a testament to our progress and, I hope, an inspiration for everyone across the firm."