Leigh Day nominated in six categories at Manchester Legal Awards

The six nominations are the most for any firm shortlisted this year, with Leigh Day in contention for:

• Medium Law Firm of the Year 
• Partner of the Year 
• Solicitor of the Year
• Employment Team of the Year
• Personal Injury/Clinical Negligence Team of the Year
• Corporate Culture & Wellbeing Champion award

The nominations are a huge tribute to Leigh Day’s impact on the Manchester legal landscape since it established in the city in 2014 and now employs more than 200 people.

Based in Central Park, Northampton Road, the claimant law firm offers legal services in human rights, clinical negligence, personal injury, group actions and employment.

Well known for its work in the field of equal pay, Leigh Day’s legal teams working on the Asda and Sainsbury’s supermarket workers’ legal claim are based in its Manchester offices.

Leigh Day is a leading law firm in the emissions legal claims against motor manufacturers accused of fitting their vehicles with defeat devices to cheat emissions tests, with team members in Manchester working on these claims.

In 2024, Leigh Day represented more than 60,000 Asda workers at an 11 week hearing in Manchester in their battle for equal pay, which established equal value for 12 of the 14 roles represented. This work has been recognised in the nominations for both the Medium Law Firm of the Year and Employment Team of the Year awards.

Across its other Manchester departments, the firm has also helped secure  a large settlement for a client diagnosed with an incurable asbestos cancer through exposure while working in the city centre, and acted on behalf of three migrant fishers who settled their claim against the Home Office for failing to protect them from being at risk of trafficking and exploitation. 

International group litigation team lawyer Dhiran Solanki has been shortlisted for the Solicitor of the Year award. Dhiran acts across Leigh Day’s emissions cases, playing a key role in helping to progress and submit claims on behalf of tens of thousands of clients.

Clinical negligence lawyer Stephen Jones has been shortlisted for Partner of the Year, having led Leigh Day’s clinical negligence department in Manchester since joining the firm in 2015. Stephen specialises in cerebral palsy and spinal injury claims, and has consistently secured large settlements for clients.  

The clinical negligence department in Manchester has also received further recognition along with the personal injury department in being shortlisted for Personal Injury/Clinical Negligence Department of the Year award. 

Lawyers in these departments have acted on behalf of and helped secure settlements for numerous clients in complex claims throughout 2024. Leigh Day’s Manchester office also houses a dedicated clinical negligence new case enquiry team.

Leigh Day has also been nominated for the Corporate Culture & Wellbeing Champions award, recognising the firm’s efforts in fostering a positive and collaborative workplace where employees feel valued and supported. 

The firm expanded its leadership base in the North West last year with the addition of five new partners in Manchester, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of Leigh Day in the city. 

Leigh Day partner Clare Campbell said:

“We are delighted to have been shortlisted in six categories at this years’ Manchester Legal Awards, recognising both the quality and range of expertise offered by our Manchester office. Leigh Day’s operations in the North West have been on a great journey in the 11 years since opening an office in Manchester with just a few employees in 2014. We are proud to now have a strong group of partners leading an office of more than 200 people across a number of departments, and look forward to further developing our presence and expertise in Manchester.”