The Women and Diversity Law Awards 2024 is now open for nominations with those individuals, teams and businesses who are making waves in the field of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) encouraged to put themselves forward.

The launch of the awards, which are hosted by Global Legal Post and will take place in London on 13 March, follows the success of the 2023 ceremony, which featured legendary diversity campaigner Baroness Floella Benjamin and was attended by some 400 finalists, awards judges and other representatives of the UK legal profession.

The awards set out to recognise those who are dedicating their professional careers to moving the DE&I needle or using their positions of influence to help facilitate change.

They come at a time when law firms are coming under pressure from clients and staff to improve their DE&I credentials as the ESG movement gathers momentum.

Recent initiatives include: the launch of a paralegal academy by Clyde & Co to broaden access to the profession; the establishment of a non-profit organisation to help girls and young women drive gender equality and eradicate gender-based violence by Sultana Tafadar KC, of No5 Barristers’ Chambers, and her 11-year-old daughter; and Slaughter and May becoming the first major law firm to set social mobility targets.

Confirmed awards judges include immediate past Law Society of England and Wales president I Stephanie Boyce, recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award; Sanjay Bhandari, chair of Kick It Out, football’s equality and inclusion charity; Lesley Wan, general counsel and whistleblowing officer at FBN Bank and founder of the Through the Looking Glass charity; and Norton Rose Fulbright’s EMEA managing partner Peter Scott, who was a member of the City of London Corporation's socio-economic taskforce.

The awards are divided into three sections. In the first half, Outstanding Women Leaders and Outstanding Women Practitioners will be recognised. The second section will address diversity more broadly, seeking to highlight the stand-out initiatives and individuals across its different strands.

The deadline for nominations is Friday 30 September; nominees will then be invited to submit entries, for consideration by the judging panel.

Individual winners this year included Reed Smith’s European managing partner, Tamara Box, and Natalie Sutherland, co-founder of the In/Fertility in the City initiative, while successful law firms included Browne Jacobson, CMS, Clifford Chance, FieldFisher and RPC, with barristers’ sets Matrix Chambers and 4 Pump Court also among those recognised.

Click here for more information about the awards, including the full list of categories, and here for instructions on how to make a nomination.