Awards
Our awards and accreditations reflect and demonstrate our commitment to our standard of practice and our dedication to providing the best-possible service for our clients and the wider community.
Triple win at Notts Law Society
We won every category we entered at the 2025 Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards.
Kirsten Wood received the award for Partner of the Year, Georgina Power received Junior Lawyer of the Year, and Sarah Singh won Equality and Diversity Champion. Congratulations all!
Junior Lawyer of the Year
Liam Wicks, Corporate and Commercial Solicitor at our Derby branch, was awarded Junior Lawyer of the Year 2025, at the Derby and District Law Society Awards.
The award recognises his dedication to professional growth, client relationships, business development, and local charity initiatives.
Christina Yardley wins two Leadership Awards
Our CEO, Christina Yardley, won in two categories at the TheBusinessDesk.com East Midlands Leadership Awards, for Company Leader (101+ employees) and Leader of the Year.
Christina said, “Winning these awards is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire firm. We’ve created a culture that prioritises people, values work-life balance and strives for excellence in everything we do. This recognition motivates us to keep pushing the boundaries and making a positive impact, both within the firm and the communities we serve.”
Double winners at the 2024 Personal Injury Awards
Our Serious Personal Injury team brought home two awards at November’s 2024 Personal Injury Awards. The team as a whole won Catastrophic Injury Team of the Year, while Julie Walker (second from left) won Clinical Negligence Lawyer of the Year. It shows their unwavering commitment to excellence and their drive to make a real difference for our clients.
Finalists in six categories at the Personal Injury Awards
Our Serious Injury team have been nominated for multiple categories at the Personal Injury Awards 2024. Awards include Team of the Year for Catastrophic Injury, Claimant, and Clinical Negligence. Individual finalists for Lawyer of the Year include Greg Almond, Ian Johnson, Seetal Patel and Julie Walker, again across the categories of Catastrophic Injury, Claimant and Medical Negligence.
Customer Service Champions
We were highly commended in the ‘Customer Service Champions’ category at the 2024 British Wills and Probate Awards . These awards, established in 2018, recognise exceptional service and expertise in the wills, probate, and private client sectors. Receiving this award is a testament to the trust and excellence we strive to provide to our clients.
Triple nominee at the EMC Business Awards
We’re finalists in three categories in the 2024 East Midlands Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. We were nominated in the award categories of Business Improvement Through Technology, Community Impact and Excellence in Customer Service.
Outstanding Client Care
Modern Law Private Client Awards 2024: The firm has been shortlisted in the Outstanding Client Care category at the Modern Law Private Client Awards for delivering exceptional client service, using innovation to improve and maintain client care and resolve issues and demonstrating that client care lies at the very heart of the firm.
Partner of the Year, Solicitor of the Year and Team of the Year
Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards 2024: The firm was shortlisted in not one but three categories at the 2024 Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards: Partner and Head of Personal Injury Greg Almond was shortlisted for Partner of the Year, Senior Associate Solicitor Advocate Grant Benskin was nominated for Solicitor of the Year and our Wills and Probate team were shortlisted for Team of the Year.
Excellence in Customer Service – WINNER!
East Midlands Chamber Business Awards 2023: We won the Excellence in Customer Service category for constantly striving to exceed customer expectations and delivering industry-leading standards of service, as evidenced by the feedback we receive from clients, our call staff and the values our staff follow
Social Commitment and Team of the Year
Enterprising Women Awards 2023: We were shortlisted in both the Social Commitment category for the impact that our CSR policies have had on our staff as well as the wider community, and the Team of the Year category for the work of our Private Client team, who were nominated for their commitment to clients and providing excellent customer service as well as their involvement in community initiatives.
Young Achiever of the Year
Personal Injury Awards 2023: Our Trainee Solicitor Abagail Clark was shortlisted for Young Achiever of the Year for the dedication, expertise and unwavering support she offered to clients and their families who have been the victims of medical mismanagement or catastrophic events or accidents whilst completing her seat in the firm’s Personal Injury department.
Best Workplace Wellbeing
Modern Law Private Client Awards 2023: Rothera Bray has been shortlisted for Best Workplace Wellbeing at the Modern Law Private Client Awards for our strong commitment to providing a positive working environment that supports its staff through our social, financial and diversity and inclusion policies, as well as implementing long-term commitment to supporting the mental health of staff through some staff members completing mental health awareness training, providing flexible and hybrid working, offering wellbeing activities through our staff development forum and providing counselling and a workplace chaplain.
Volunteering and Charitable Impact
East Midlands Chamber Generation Next Awards 2023: The Volunteering and Charitable Impact Award recognises an individual in business who goes above and beyond their role within the company to support local communities and charitable organisations by volunteering. Our Head of Marketing Jo Walchester was shortlisted for this award on the basis of her support of local charities including designing websites for organisations, as well as the inititaives she has introduced within the firm to benefit staff such as our staff development forum, developing a relationship with Nottingham Workplace Chaplaincy, our employee of the month scheme and completing training in mental health awareness.
Community Champion
Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards 2023: Our Head of Marketing Jo Walchester was shortlisted for the Community Champion category at the Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards for the initiatives she has introduced within the firm such as our staff development forum and coaching and mentoring support to staff, as well as developing the firm’s social mobility initiatives and work experience programme and her work benefitting local organisations including designing the websites for NRG Lawyers and Nottingham Workplace Chaplaincy.
Community and Charity Champions
British Wills and Probate Awards 2022: We were highly commended for the Community and Charity Champions category due to several initiatives that we are involved in, including our free legal advice clinics, our association with NRG Lawyers, an organisation that aims to break down barriers for students of non-Russell Group universities who wish to pursue legal careers, our talks to school students about careers in the legal industry and different routes into the profession, as well as our staff benefits and sustainability measures.
Claimant Team of the Year
Personal Injury Awards 2022: Our Personal Injury team have been shortlisted for the Claimant Team of the Year category on the basis of the impressive settlements they have reached for clients, paperless working, effective and innovative management led by Head of Personal Injury Greg Almond, opportunities within the team for career development and progression and outstanding client care, as well as their fundraising activities for several charities.
Lifetime Achievement Award category – WINNER!
Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards 2022: Partner and Head of Wills and Probate Jayne Smith won the Lifetime Achievement Award due to her impact in the local community and the wider profession, her involvement with Nottinghamshire Law Society’s International Committee and her contributions to charitable organisations during her 40-year career at Rothera Bray.
Law Firm of the Year: Midlands and Wales
Family Law Awards 2021: Our Family and Child Care team were shortlisted for Family Law Firm of the Year: Midlands and Wales at the 2021 Family Law Awards on the basis of the quality of the services we offer, recent cases in which the team has acted, services benefitting the local community such as our free legal clinics and testimonials from clients.
Contribution to the Community Award
Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards 2021: We were finalists in the Contribution to the Community category at this year’s Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards for our community initiatives, including partnering with RideWise to launch a survey about people’s cycling habits during lockdown and donating funds to their community bike library; the adaptations made to our legal services during Covid-19 and staff wellbeing and development initiatives.
Excellence in Collaboration Award
East Midlands Chamber Business Awards 2021: We were finalists for the Excellence in Collaboration category for our legal clinics with Derbyshire Carers Association which provide free legal advice to their service users and staff. Over 400 people have accessed the clinics since they were launched, with the firm adapting the clinics to take place via phone or video call during Covid-19 to ensure service users could still access this vital service.
Client Care Award
Modern Law Awards 2020: We were shortlisted for the Client Care Award at the 2020 Modern Law Awards as a result of our high levels of client care from initial contact to the completion of a matter, including our personalised client service, our commitment to training staff to ensure they provide the highest levels of care and our use of technology including e-documents and digital signatures so that clients can access documents and get updates on the matter at any time.
Commitment to People Development Award
East Midlands Chamber Business Awards 2019: The firm was selected as a finalist for the Commitment to People Development category due to the initiatives offered by the firm to support staff learning, wellbeing and development including internal training, flexible working and opportunities for staff to get involved in community and pro-bono activities.
Large Law Firm of the Year CILEx Awards 2019
We were highly commended for Large Law Firm of the Year on the basis of our client satisfaction levels, our pro-bono work within the local community, our commitment to the career progression of staff and internal initiatives that encourage sustainability within the firm.
Partnership of the Year Award – WINNER!
Nottingham Post Business Awards 2019: We were delighted to win the Partnership of the Year award as a result of our ongoing work with Age UK Nottingham & Nottinghamshire, which has seen us team up with the charity to offer free weekly legal advice clinics and collaborate with them on several fundraising campaigns to help them in raising money to continue providing support and companionship to elderly and vulnerable people in the community.
Professional Services Award
Nottingham Post Business Awards 2019: We were selected as finalists in the Professional Services award category for our commitment to investing in the personal development of our staff, the success of our legal advice clinics and our use of technology to make processes more efficient for clients and employees.
Lifetime Achievement Award category – WINNER!
Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards 2019: Conveyancing partner Martin Foulds won the Lifetime Achievement Award due to his outstanding contributions in his 43-year career at the firm. During his career Martin was invited to open the firm’s Mapperley branch which became a success due to his commitment to nurturing relationships with existing contacts and building connections with local contacts. He has also been heavily invested in the career development of his colleagues at the Mapperley office.
Lawyer of the Year – Highly Commended
Modern Law Awards 2019: Our Family Law solicitor Ann-Marie Bowman was highly commended for Lawyer of the Year at the Eclipse Proclaim Modern Law Awards. Ann-Marie was put forward for the award for her work as a Family Law solicitor where she specialises in complex childcare proceedings, as well as her former role as Managing Partner, overseeing the day to day running of the firm.
Services to Law – WINNER!
English Womens Awards 2018: Our Family Law solicitor Ann-Marie Bowman won the Services to Law category at the first English Women’s Awards. Ann-Marie was nominated for her previous role as the firm’s Managing Partner as well as her work on complex childcare matters where she is regarded as a local heavyweight in the area of Public Law due to the complex and challenging cases she is instructed to deal with.
Junior Lawyer of the Year – WINNER!
Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards 2018: Our Wills and Probate solicitor Adam Cotterill won the award for Junior Lawyer of the Year as a result of successfully launching free legal advice clinics in association with Derbyshire Carers across four locations. Alongside this he also assists with Age UK legal clinics and is committed to the firm’s business development activities.
Community Impact Award – Finalist
East Midlands Chamber Business Awards 2018: The firm was a finalist in the Community Impact category for its work with Age UK Notts on its Trees of Life campaign, which encouraged individuals and businesses to sponsor and plant trees across Nottinghamshire with over 1000 trees planted and £20,000 raised for the charity.
Marketing Campaign of the Year – Finalist
East Midlands Chamber Business Awards 2018: As well as being a finalist for the above, we were also selected as finalists in the Marketing Campaign of the Year category for organising the launch event of the Trees of Life campaign for Age UK, as well as designing all marketing materials in-house for the campaign.
Marketing Campaign of the Year – Finalist
East Midlands Chamber Business Awards 2017: Rothera Sharp was selected as a finalist for Marketing Campaign of the Year at the 2017 East Midlands Chamber Business Awards. The firm put itself forward for the award on the basis of the successful amalgamation it underwent in 2016 between Rothera Dowson Solicitors and Sharp Young and Pearce Solicitors. The merger required a complete rebranding of all marketing materials and the creation of a new firm website within a timeframe of three months, with 80 per cent of the work being executed in-house by the marketing team.
stars
Posted 25 April 2025
Excellent service from Carol Freeman and her team at Rothera Bray. I'm highly satisfied with her conveyancing work. Highly recommended.
Hui-Ling Kerr
stars
Posted 23 April 2025
Carol Freeman and her team were simply brilliant in the handling of our sale and purchase when we recently moved down to Suffolk. With their help and support a stressful and at times complicated transaction was made to seem easy.
Rex Coleman
stars
Posted 22 April 2025
I would highly recommend Marneya who has been a fantastic solicitor, who guided us through the process with great communication, always helpful and very patient.
Rachael Heard
stars
Posted 18 April 2025
This divorce started off as a very stressful time for me, but the professional support, on a very specialised subject, provided by Rothera Bray, made all the difference... I can only describe Rebecca as my “GUARDIAN ANGEL” who manifested in human form to offer guidance, support and protection. At the very first telephone call I had with Rebecca, I could sense only fantastic positive vibes, that made me feel comfortable.
A Mullath
stars
Posted 16 April 2025
This house move for us at my age and health conditions could have been highly stressful as well as physically and mentally challenging. I must give all credit to our representative Deepika Vadher. Her communication was swift and sharp. I genuinely felt assured that my interests were a priority. I am most grateful for such a smooth and swift outcome.
Uday Parekh
stars
Posted 15 April 2025
Outstanding support and customer service from Georgina & specifically Chelsey for her kind attention to every step. If you have speeding ticket issues or any motoring related issues I would highly recommend Rothera Bray!
Matt Collcutt
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Posted 12 April 2025
Excellent service and communication through-out the process. The process is also totally digital thus, gave me that flexibility to conduct the transaction remotely. A target date was set and achieved. Thank you to Rothera Bray and especially Fatima! Highly recommended.
Naresh Ramjee
stars
Posted 11 April 2025
Outstanding professionalism and tremendous amount of help. Saved me from driving ban which would have an impact on my whole life. Reasonable prices - definitely RECOMMEND!!! Thanks again.
P Lys
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Posted 11 April 2025
We used Rothera Bray for our recent house purchase. Our solicitor Abbey Freeman was absolutely brilliant and we would happily recommend to anybody. She made the entire process so smooth and stress free. Couldn't be happier with the service we received!
C Roberts
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Posted 11 April 2025
I recently had the pleasure of working with Rothera Bray Solicitors during a challenging divorce process, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Their guidance and support were invaluable, making a difficult time much more manageable. A special shout-out to Rebecca Hudson, my solicitor, who was exceptional throughout the entire process. Rebecca's expertise, compassion, and dedication were evident from our first interaction. She provided clear, practical advice and was always available to answer my questions, no matter how small. Her professionalism and empathy helped me navigate the complexities of divorce with confidence and peace of mind.
Paul
stars
Posted 10 April 2025
I had an outstanding experience with Rothera & Bray, particularly with Sarrina Mills and Tina Rana. They were both incredibly professional and attentive in addressing my queries. They went above and beyond to ensure the smooth exchange of contracts and successful purchase of my property, all while working diligently to complete the process before the stamp duty increase. This is the second time I’ve worked with Rothera Bray, and once again, they have exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend the exceptional services of Sarrina and Tina.
A Yousuf
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Posted 10 April 2025
Ellie handled with our query so well and communication was great! Will definitely be using her again!
Hannah O'Flaherty
Senior judge appointed in Nottingham Attacks public inquiry
After attending the Justice session in the House of Commons on 22nd April, we welcome the announcement that Her Honour Deborah Taylor will be chairing the public inquiry into the Nottingham Attacks of June 2023.
Our new Managing Associate in Employment Law
We’re excited to welcome Rachel Mills to our Derby office as a Managing Associate in Employment Law.
Triple win at Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards
We’re beyond proud to announce that three of our team members were recognised in three categories at the Nottinghamshire Law Society Awards on Friday night.
New legislation will support bereaved working fathers
The Paternity Leave (Bereavement) Act (the “PLB Act”) is expected to come into effect soon. It will grant bereaved fathers and partners expanded rights to paternity leave.
Rothera Bray lawyers featured in Pro Bono Recognition List
Four members of Rothera Bray have been recognised in this year’s Pro Bono Recognition List.
New law on neonatal care and pay takes effect April 6th
Working families with babies in neonatal care will have the right to additional time off from day one. This is because of the latest changes to the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act.
Rothera Bray advises on integration of Haines Watts’ regional audit teams into TC Group
Rothera Bray has acted on behalf of the selling shareholders of Haines Watts (East Midlands) Limited, Haines Watts Nottingham Limited and Haines Watts Audit EM Limited on the sale of the Nottingham, Derby, and Leicester offices on its integration with TC Group.
Statutory pay increases: what to expect from April 6
The government has announced several new statutory rates that will come into effect for employees in April 2025.