Michelmores named Property Law Firm of the Year

Michelmores has been named Property Law Firm of the Year at the Insider’s 2018 South West Property Awards, which celebrate the region’s top property and construction professionals.

The Insider’s judging panel for the awards, made up of industry experts, noted the excellent standard of entries again this year. Beating TLT and Clarke Willmott, Michelmores scooped the award, with judges citing the Firm’s “ethical credentials, the variety of deals it has worked on and its commitment to staff development” as key deciding factors.

Emma Honey, Head of Real Estate, commented:

“Our submission showcased the wide ranging and complex deals that we have been involved in over the last year, including the development of Bridgwater Cattle Market, the White Rock Sports Centre at South Devon College and South Crofty tin mine. These were intricate and complex transactions that demonstrated the expertise of our team. To have the recognition of being Property Law Firm of the Year is a wonderful testament to all the hard work and dedication everyone in the department contributes.”

The Firm’s ethical credentials were highlighted by the innovative partnership that Michelmores and Oxygen House have forged in their objective to pursue energy independence and a congestion free Exeter by 2025, with 10% of fee income generated by Oxygen House Group spent on improving sustainability at Michelmores.

Michelmores’ commitment to staff development was acknowledged through the knowledge sharing activities that take place. These include the Michelmores Property Developers Club PDC, now in its 16th year, which was set up to facilitate knowledge sharing, networking and recruitment opportunities for over 100 professionals working in the SW property industry. The Firm also supports the next generation of lawyers by sponsoring the Land Law prize at the University of Exeter. While the production of the Construction mediation guide was created as a result of working with a number of the UK’s leading law firms to pool construction sector dispute resolution experience, expertise and knowledge on mediation, to produce a definitive guide that sets a new standard for how mediation can work. This subsequently won the Innovation Award at the 2018 South West Built Environment Awards.

The judging panel comprised: Carla Bartholomew, regional chair of CIBSE South West Committee, Rebecca Ridge, chair of RIBA Wessex, Raj Manek, property director at Loungers, Carly Willis, chair of Women in Property South West, Paul Menzies, regional director of the Forum for the Built Environment (FBE) and Pippa Goldfinger, programme manager of the Architecture Centre.

David Clensy, editor of South West Business Insider, who chaired the judging session, said:

“The South West Property Awards is always one of the real highlights of Insider’s events calendar in the region, and having seen the standard of entries, I’m sure that this year will be no exception.”

The awards dinner was held at the Bristol Marriott Hotel City Centre on 4 October, and showcased a range of categories demonstrating the full planning and construction process across the commercial, industrial and residential sectors in the South West.

To view the full list of winners click here.