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FBC Manby Bowdler secures two on shortlist for awards- 28/09/2011
West Midlands law firm FBC Manby Bowdler LLP has secured two nominations in this year’s Law Society's Excellence Awards.
Senior Partner Niall Blackie has been short-listed as Solicitor Advocate of the Year, while solicitor Charlotte Clode is short-listed in the Junior Lawyer of Year category.
The awards reward the most outstanding practitioners in the legal professions. They are designed to recognise best practice across the entire legal profession and to celebrate excellence and outstanding achievement in areas that are central to the profession today.
Mr Blackie combines his role of Senior Partner at FBC Manby Bowdler with that of Head of Town and Country Planning. As a Solicitor-Advocate (Civil) he is also able to act as an Advocate in the High Court, Court of Appeal and House of Lords as well as in all tribunals. He has a particular focus on advocacy at all types of planning inquiries.
One of his most notable successes was winning a landmark legal ruling in favour of farmers who wish to put up agricultural buildings that fall within “permitted development” parameters, following a full hearing in the Court of Appeal (Murrell v SSCLG and Broadlands DC) in December 2010.
In the latest edition of Legal 500, FBC Manby Bowdler was ranked the top law firm in Wolverhampton and Shropshire for planning work.
Mr Blackie is also Diocesan Registrar to the Diocese of Lichfield, Legal Secretary to the Bishop of Lichfield and Registrar to Lichfield Cathedral.
Miss Clode is a specialist litigation solicitor advising on all aspects of litigation and dispute resolution, with a particular bias towards commercial and contractual disputes, defamation (and associated damage to reputation claims) and IP/IT Law disputes.
She currently chairs the Wolverhampton Junior Lawyers Division and is the Junior Lawyer Representative on the Wolverhampton Law Society Council. She is the current Alliance 4 the Black Country Junior Professional of the Year
Mr Blackie said: “I am delighted that Charlotte Clode has been included in the shortlist; she is one of the rising stars within the strong team here at FBC Manby Bowdler and it is good to see a colleague being independently recognised by the most prestigious awards in the legal calendar. Following our recent firm-wide success in the Legal 500 rankings, I am also pleased to note that we are the only law firm based in Wolverhampton and Shropshire to be named in the shortlist for the awards.”
John Wotton, Law Society President said: "The standard of entries for this year's Excellence Awards has been exceptionally high, and selecting the shortlist has been a challenge for the judges.
"The firms and individuals shortlisted should be very proud. Their excellence and innovation stood out among very impressive candidates.
"The Excellence Awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate what is great about the legal profession, which in recent years has experienced a turbulent economic climate and now faces the challenges created by the introduction of ABS."
BBC Broadcaster Mishal Husain will present the Law Society's Excellence Awards at a prestigious black tie dinner and presentation ceremony which will take place on 18th October at Old Billingsgate, London.