Best Management of Corporate Reputation
For the firm that has co-ordinated its messages to internal and external audiences and can demonstrate success based on employee and client surveys and/or media coverage.
2004 WINNER
The team at Taylor Vinters, with Gavin Ingham Brooke of Spada (fifth from right)
Taylor Vinters submission was a visually appealing and lively demonstration of their developing growth in their businesses. For the second time, the firm has topped the National Quality League Table and has the highest proportion of lawyers recognised as leaders in their field. This is an outstanding achievement for a predominantly regional firm based in Cambridge. The numerous awards it has won throughout the last year demonstrates they are strong in each sector they work in, and are recognised by their peers as an outstanding firm.
Their wide reaching marketing programme has broadened their client base, and has also resulted in strong communications with the wider business community. They developed their new business plans internally first, and spent time consulting with their staff before communicating their objectives to the wide business community.
Their strong internal performance measures, coupled with a strong collegiate feel have been successfully communicated resulting in a very strong corporate reputation for the firm well beyond its regional base. Their pre-eminence in the regional base has been achieved by their innovative approach to business development and their submission was a strong reflection of their forward looking culture.
RUNNER UP
TLT’s visually lively and refreshing presentation demonstrated its strength in meeting client expectations, at the same time as focussing on a strong internal team culture. Their submission also demonstrated a confidence in the future of the business with very strong client testimonials. For a regional firm based in Bristol, the addition of a London office has clearly given them added corporate exposure. The overall feel was of a fast growing firm with a lively and stylish character.
Perhaps the strongest evidence of their progress is the award from The Sunday Times naming them as one of the 100 best companies to work for. Their determination to become a top 50 law firm in the next three years is also an indication of their aggressive and hungry approach. They have demonstrated all the qualities a potential client looks for when approaching an external solicitor. In short, TLT’s corporate reputation is demonstrably improving extremely rapidly.
3RD PLACE
Simmons & Simmons have clearly demonstrated a strong management of its corporate reputation in the last year, and after some negative factors which it has admirably faced up to. Departing partners and a lack of understanding of the firm’s strategic direction were troubling the business a few years ago, and the board of Simmons & Simmons addressed the issues in an honest and intelligent manner. This has resulted in the firm’s financial performance improving significantly, and the general perception improving through strong media stories, especially in the trade press.
Simmons & Simmons was also ranked strongly in The Sunday Times 100 Company Survey and its own management team was shortlisted for The Team of the Year Award at The Lawyers Awards in 2005. New and more outgoing communications have helped the firm restore its corporate reputation after a difficult time at the top end of corporate lawyers in the UK. Despite the competitiveness of the sector, Simmons & Simmons has demonstrated it can put behind itself the perceived problems of the past, and concentrate on restoring and building on its fine corporate reputation.
2004 FINALISTS
Runner up
Third place
2004 SPONSOR
Spada is one of the UK's premier communications advisers to professional, financial services, property and business-to-business clients. The consultancy's ability to shape corporate reputation derives from a unique fusion of issues based media relations, branding, marketing and crisis communications. Founded in 1994, Spada has affiliate offices in New York and Washington, and a network of associates across Europe.
OTHER YEARS
OTHER AWARDS