Legal Benchmarking Group's 2025 Social Impact EMEA Awards: Shortlist revealed

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Legal Benchmarking Group's 2025 Social Impact EMEA Awards: Shortlist revealed

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View the 2025 Social Impact shortlist celebrating the region's change-makers

The Legal Benchmarking Group is thrilled to announce the nominees for the 2025 Social Impact EMEA Awards.

We are proud to announce the return of the Social Impact EMEA Awards 2025, an annual celebration honoring firms, legal professionals, programmes, in-house teams, and initiatives that are driving meaningful change across the region.

Now in its second year, the Social Impact EMEA Awards shine a spotlight on those within the legal industry who are tackling some of the region’s most pressing challenges—across sustainability, equity, community development, thought leadership and beyond.

Why it matters

In a world facing unprecedented social, environmental, legal, and economic challenges, the need for visionary action has never been greater. The Social Impact EMEA Awards aim not just to celebrate good work, but to inspire a movement connecting legal changemakers, amplifying ideas, and catalyzing future impact across borders.

The 2025 EMEA shortlist

Inclusion in this shortlist underscores the significant strides firms have taken towards building a more diverse and inclusive legal profession, as well as developing the legal community at large.

Following months of research and submission reviews, the LBG team has uncovered the most impactful programmes and cases, as well as the lawyers and professionals paving the way.

A shortlist preview of select categories can be found below. Final winners across all categories will be announced on November 19.

Congratulations to all of those shortlisted!



FIRM CATEGORIES

  • Preview of Firm Categories

    Community Impact Firm of the Year
    Arzinger
    Golaw
    Gracers
    gunnercooke LLP
    Ontier
    Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors
    ESG Firm of the Year
    Bernitsas Law
    Gecić Law
    Koranteng & Koranteng Legal Advisors
    Kromann Reumert
    McCann FitzGerald
    Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen
    Rymarz Zdort Maruta
    Saxinger International
    Sitef & Co
    Stibbe
    Innovative Firm of the Year
    Aegis Law
    gunnercooke LLP
    KPMG
    SRS Legal
    Wolf Theiss
    Pro Bono Firm of the Year
    Aegis Law
    DLA Piper
    Ilyashev & Partners
    Integrites
    LCF Law Group
    Onyango & Co. Advocates
    Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors
    Stibbe
    VdA
    Professional Development Firm of the Year
    Kochanski & Partners
    Schellenberg Wittmer
    SRS Legal
    VdA

Firm winners for categories such as:

  • Climate Justice Firm of the Year

  • Disability Advocacy Firm of the Year

  • Environmental Firm of the Year

  • Inclusion Firm of the Year

  • Inclusive Recruitment Firm of the Year

  • LGBTQ+ Advocacy Firm of the Year

  • Multigenerational Advocacy Firm of the Year

  • Pay Transparency Firm of the Year

  • Social Mobility Firm of the Year

  • Tech Innovation Firm of the Year

  • Thought Leadership Firm of the Year

  • Wellbeing Firm of the Year

Will be announced on November 19.




PROGRAMME CATEGORIES

  • Preview of Programme Categories

    Community Impact Programme of the Year
    Aegis Law
    KPMG
    Matheson
    Future Lawyers Programme of the Year
    BLSK Legal
    DLA Piper
    Guia Naghi and Partners
    Murenko Kuriavyi and Partners
    Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen
    Paksoy
    Mentorship Programme of the Year
    Wolf Theiss
    CCSL Advogados
    Kochanski & Partners
    Professional Development Programme of the Year
    Schellenberg Wittmer
    SRS Legal
    VdA
    Social Mobility Programme of the Year
    Arthur Cox
    gunnercooke LLP
    Integrites
    Matheson
    Paksoy

Programme winners for categories such as:

  • Affinity Network Programme of the Year

  • Anti-Discrimination Programme of the Year

  • Career Coaching Programme of the Year

  • Disability Advocacy Programme of the Year

  • Inclusive Recruitment Programme of the Year

  • Multigenerational Advocacy Programme of the Year

  • Social Impact Cases Programme of the Year

  • Wellbeing Programme of the Year

Will be announced on November 19.




INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES

  • Preview of Individual Categories

    Thought Leader of the Year
    Oksana Kneychuk, Eterna Law
    Catherine Karatzas, Karatzas & Partners
    Muyiwa Balogun, Olaniwun Ajayi
    Mihlali Sitefane, Sitef & Co.
    Disability Advocate of the Year
    Ed Jenneson, gunnercooke LLP
    Simon Maynard, King & Spalding
    Rachel Boyle, Bryan Cave Leighton & Paisner

Individual winners for categories such as:

  • ESG Leader of the Year

  • Ethical AI Advocate Leader of the Year

  • In-House Leader of the Year

  • Pro Bono Leader of the Year

  • Social Mobility Advocate Leader of the Year

  • Talent & Development Leader of the Year

  • Wellbeing Advocate Leader of the Year

  • Hall of Fame Leader of the Year

Will be announced on November 19.




For research-related questions, please contact Shailyn Tirado, Americas Director of Research.

For sponsorship packages, please contact Ahmed Hadi, Sales Executive.

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