Further recognition following award nominations for WBD's corporate team in Newcastle

Following the team's recent successes in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners publications, and following a strong flow of transaction activity since March 2020, our Newcastle based corporate team has been shortlisted for, and its deals recognised in, a number of categories at the upcoming Insider North East Dealmakers Awards 2020.

The team, and the deals the team have advised on, have been shortlisted for seven awards across four categories including:

• Corporate Law Firm of the Year – following a period of significant growth in deal activity in specialist areas like private equity, technology and real estate
• Deal of the Year (under £10m) – advising Gateshead-based digital marketing agency Mediaworks on its management buy-out of a founding shareholder supporting its future growth plans
• Deal of the Year (under £10m) – acting for Newcastle-based financial crime investigation software company Caspian on its investment by the venture arm of the US stock exchange, NASDAQ.

Three of our lawyers have also been shortlisted on an individual basis:

• Jamie Pass has been shortlisted for Corporate Lawyer of the Year
• Stacey Hall has once again been shortlisted for Emerging Dealmaker of the Year
• Oliver Rickett has also been shortlisted for Emerging Dealmaker of the Year.

Ben Butler, head of the Newcastle corporate team at WBD, commented: 

"Following a hugely successful 12 months where we have continued to deliver high quality transactions, including throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and after our glowing recognition in The Legal 500 and in the most recent publication of Chambers & Partners, we are thrilled to see our team continue to lead the field and help drive key transactional activity in the region. These award nominations reflect a very successful year for our Newcastle corporate team, and demonstrate our commitment to the region and the exciting North East businesses that we work with".

WBD's Newcastle corporate team was highly ranked in this year's legal directories, retaining its tier 1 status in both the Chambers UK and Legal 500, in the latter seven Newcastle corporate lawyers were ranked on an individual basis, more than any other firm in the region.

As the largest law firm in the North East, WBD has deep roots in the region and its largest UK office of over 200 qualified advisors is based in Newcastle. The firm is committed to playing its part in the future prosperity of the North East and Cumbria by using its local, national and international reach and expertise to benefit the region's leading sectors, businesses, people and organisations.