Paul Hastings Wins Awards for “Dealmaker of the Year” and “Women in Law” at British Legal Awards 2019

November 22, 2019

London – At the British Legal Awards 2019, hosted by Legal Week in London on 21 November, Paul Hastings LLP won two awards, both presented for the first time. Anu Balasubramanian was named ‘Dealmaker of the Year’ and Diala Minott won the ‘Women in Law’ award.

‘Dealmaker of the Year’ is awarded to the UK private practice lawyer who best demonstrates legal skills, troubleshooting, and client satisfaction; along with high profile, significant, and interesting clients and transactions. The citation reads: ‘Since joining Paul Hastings last year, Balasubramanian has brought in major clients from her former firm, including private equity house Abry Partners. She is also a long-standing adviser to Oakley Capital. Her arrival was part of a drive by the firm’s London office to expand its transactional capabilities, and one judge said she “seems able to attract talent”, as well as praising her spread of work and interests across pro bono activity and geographical diversity.’

The ‘Women in Law’ award is presented to a lawyer who has helped to contribute to the cause of promoting the interests of women in law, with a strategic vision for how the industry can improve to support women better. The citation reads: ‘Driven by her family’s own experiences in the Middle East, Paul Hastings partner Diala Minott wowed the judges with her vocal support of the education of young women, especially those from cultures where women are not encouraged to an alternative to marriage. Minott also won praise for her role as a driving force in the growth of Paul Hastings’ reputation in credit and debit funds since she joined the firm in 2016.’

The firm was also shortlisted for 'CSR/Diversity Initiative of the Year', 'Banking and Finance Team of the Year', 'Private Equity Team of the Year (Funds)', and 'Property Team of the Year', and Matthew Poxon was presented with his award as one of the ‘40 Under 40 Rising Stars of Private Equity’. ‘Each lawyer that made the list fought off fierce competition to be recognised for the quality of their client base; the scale, significance and complexity of their deals; their client feedback and general market reputation; the standing of their mentor; and other examples of career success and innovation.’

The winners of the British Legal Awards are decided by an independent judging panel, chaired by Edward Sparrow, Chair of the City of London Law Society. The panel is made up of general counsel and other senior members of the legal community, including several former law firm managing partners.

The awards continue an unprecedented run of success for Paul Hastings in Europe in 2019, winning:

‘Middle-Market Law Firm of the Year’ at The Deal Europe Awards
‘Excellence in Access to Justice’ at the Law Society Excellence Awards
‘M&A Team of the Year’ and ‘Private Equity Team of the Year’ at the Transatlantic Legal Awards
‘Law Firm of the Year’ at the Alt Credit Fund Intelligence Europe Awards
‘International Law Firm Innovation’ at the Legal Week Innovation Awards
‘Managing Complexity & Scale’ at the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards
‘Europe Law Firm of the Year – Transactions’ at the Global PERE Awards

Balasubramanian was also named ‘Private Equity Dealmaker of the Year’ at The Deal Awards 2019.

At Paul Hastings, our purpose is clear — to help our clients and people navigate new paths to growth. With a strong presence throughout Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the U.S., Paul Hastings is recognized as one of the world’s most innovative global law firms.