The 11th annual Yorkshire Lawyer Awards, in association with Park Court Chambers, saw the highest number of entries on record and an array of quality winners across 18 different categories following a gala dinner for 400 people at the Queens Hotel, Leeds, on 5 October. The YLA is BBM's longest running event, and continues to go from strength to strength.

Squire Sanders Hammonds, who combined with leading US firm Squire, Sanders & Dempsey in January, won the Law Firm (31 + Partners) award.

Managing Partner and head of the Leeds office, Jones was named Yorkshire Lawyer of the Year after being recognised by his peers as a genuine leader in his field.

“Our winner has played a major role in the resurgence of the Leeds office and has the enthusiasm and commitment to lead it through the next stage of its development,” commented the judging panel, led by Joint Presidents Jeremy Shulman of Shulmans LLP and Peter McCormick of McCormicks Solicitors.

“He has been responsible for some of the biggest private equity deals in the region and, in addition to his repertoire of clients, this year he also advised on the largest-ever Yorkshire management buyout.”

The Presidents' Awards went to one of the most enduring members of the local legal community, Victor Zermansky. More than half a century after setting up his own firm in Leeds, the 79-year-old still serves clients who have been on his books for over 50 years.

Other major winners on the night were Chris Allen of Blacks Solicitors who picked up the Managing Partner of the Year Award.

DLA Piper walked away with a hat-trick of successes in the Commercial Property, Corporate & Commercial and Corporate Recovery Awards.

Zenith Chambers triumphed as the Chambers of the Year, with Liz Shaw and Sarah Blackmore from 37 Park Square Chambers jointly winning the Barrister of the Year accolade.

The awards were supported by Leeds Law Society and the Yorkshire Union of Law Societies.

They were supported by headline sponsor Park Court Chambers together with Just Costs, Solstice Recruitment, BDO, Trimega Laboratories, RESTORE, Danwood Group Ltd, Property Search Group, Stroz Friedberg Limited, Searchflow, Towry, Parklane Plowden, The John M Hayes Partnership, Intelligent Claims Management, Anakin Seal Legal Recruitment, Sagars LLP, Wesleyan For Lawyers, Lipson Lloyd Jones, Conveyancing Liability Solutions, Simply Law Jobs, Prime Professions and Yorkshire Business Insider. 

As well as honouring excellence in the Yorkshire legal profession, the awards raised money for Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Full list of 2011 Yorkshire Lawyer Awards Winners:

Yorkshire Lawyer of the Year: Jonathan Jones (Squire Sanders Hammonds)

Presidents' Award: Victor Zermanksy

Barrister of the Year: Liz Shaw & Sarah Blackmore (37 Park Square Chambers)

Chambers of the Year: Zenith Chambers

Managing Partner of the Year: Chris Allen (Blacks Solicitors)

Law Firm (1- 10 Partners): Hawkswell Kilvington Limited

Law Firm (11 - 30 Partners): Ramsdens Solicitors LLP

Law Firm (31 + Partners): Squire Sanders Hammonds

Commercial Property Award: DLA Piper

Dispute Resolution Award: Addleshaw Goddard

Rising Star: Natalie Aitken (Atteys Solicitors)

Private Client Award: Gordons LLP

Niche Law Firm: Kempner & Partners LLP

Corporate & Commercial Award: DLA Piper

Enterprise Award: Walker Morris & Wakefield Council

Corporate Recovery Award: DLA Piper

In-House Lawyer Award: Drax Power Limited

Trainee Solicitor Award: Conrad McDonald (Stewarts Law)