AWARD CATEGORIES

Best use of IT, sponsor - ITNET

Excellence in risk management, sponsor - PYV Professional Indemnity

Excellence in practice standards, sponsor - Barclays

Best marketing campaign, sponsor - Countrywide Legal Indemnities

Best pro bono endeavour, sponsor - Scottish Widows Bank

Lifetime achievement in company/ commercial work, sponsor - Legal Opportunities

Lifetime achievement in private client work, sponsor - Title Research

In-house lifetime achievement, sponsor - Hays ZMB

Lifetime achievement in human rights work, sponsor - O2

Most significant contribution to the law/legal profession in 2002/2003, sponsor - invaro

The Gazette Centenary Awards seek to recognise the contribution of individuals, law firms and in-house legal departments.

Entries are sought from firms, companies, in-house teams and individuals that can illustrate a significant contribution to the profession.

How entries will be judged

All entries will be judged by panels of respected key players in the legal profession, including the president, vice-president and deputy-vice president of the Law Society, the Law Society's chief executive, the chief executive of the Bar Council and the secretary-general of the Institute of Legal Executives.

Other judges will include the director of the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors, the chairman of the Law Society's law management section, the director of the Professional Marketing Forum, and the director of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group, as well as the director of the Law Society's representation and law reform directorate, its commercial services directorate, and the Editor of the Gazette.

Shortlists will be developed and will be publicised in the Gazette in the run-up to the awards, which will take place on the evening of 12 November at a ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Hyde Park, London.

All judges will review entries objectively and against the judging criteria.

It should be noted that the judges' decision is final and that no correspondence will be entered into.

How to enter

Once you have decided which category or categories you wish to enter, you should contact Claire Baumforth for more information, tel: 020 7316 5608; e-mail: gazetteawards@lawsociety.org.uk.

Closing date

The closing date for the awards is 1 September 2003.

All entries must be received by 5pm on this date.

Late entries will not be considered.

Awards presentation

The Gazette Centenary Awards dinner will take place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Hyde Park, London, in the Nine Kings Suite on 12 November 2003.

For additional information or to book a table, tel: 020 7316 5608; e-mail: gazetteawards@lawsociety.org.uk.

In-house lifetime achievement, sponsored by Hays ZMB

Hays ZMB is a market leader in legal recruitment.

Our success is based on our unique experience, market intelligence and sector knowledge.

We have more than 40 highly trained and qualified recruiters in London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester as well as international offices in Europe and Australasia.

Although we have grown rapidly we have kept the personal touch of a specialist consultancy.

And, because we are part of Europe's leading specialist recruitment group Hays Personnel Services, we enjoy the backing of a top FTSE company.

For candidates, we offer authoritative advice, and for clients we have an excellent track record in placing people in the right positions thanks to our experience and pool of top-quality candidates.

Tel: 020 7523 3838 info@hayszmb.co.ukwww.zureka.com

Lifetime achievement in private client work, sponsored by Title Research

Well known to private client solicitors throughout England and Wales, Title Research is a leading firm of professional researchers and genealogists.

With a range of Law Society- endorsed services, we help practitioners close their problem probate files by finding lost certificates and unknown or missing beneficiaries in the UK and all over the world.

Whether a single legatee has gone astray, or if you need to research your deceased's statutory next of kin from scratch, we can solve your problem, simply and without fuss.

In addition, our CPD sessions keep practitioners up to date in our area of the law.

Tel: 020 7549 0900info@title-research.co.ukwww.title-research.com

Lifetime achievement in company/commercial work, sponsored by Legal Opportunities

Legal Opportunities is delighted to be sponsoring the award for Lifetime Achievement in Company/Commercial work and to congratulate the Gazette in its centenary year.

This year is also our own 30th anniversary - and we are proud to celebrate the continued relationship we have enjoyed with the Gazette throughout the past 30 years.

Established in 1973 with a focus on recruiting lawyers for regional law firms, Legal Opportunities has consistently maintained its focus on the regions.

Over the years, we have developed an unrivalled knowledge and understanding of our clients and the regions and markets in which they operate.

Tel: 020 7404 9966clio@legalopps.co.ukwww.legalopps.co.uk

Lifetime achievement in human rights work, sponsored by O2

BlackBerry from O2 is an 'always connected' wireless solution, providing easy and secure access to your corporate e-mail and data.

With your BlackBerry from O2 you can:

- Use your existing business e-mail address;

- Send and receive e-mails instantly - no need to ask for them;

- Send and receive text messages; access your corporate data;

- Access your intranet and Internet facilities; read e-mail attachments, and look up your colleagues' contact details.

And with connection to a selected O2 calling plan you can make and receive voice calls from your BlackBerry.

londonevents@o2.com www.o2.cu.uk/blackberry

Excellence in risk management, sponsored by PYV Group

PYV is a leading provider of professional indemnity insurance and other specialist financial services to the legal profession.

As a Lloyd's broker, PYV works in the best interests of each of its clients.

As well as providing straightforward, independent information and advice, PYV provides tailored advice based on individual client needs.

The group's role extends beyond the provision of insurance.

It has a strong reputation built around its pensions and protection expertise.

PYV - the risk managers - was formed in 1985 and is committed to excellence in risk management.

The PYV Group is City based and is listed on OFEX.

Tel: 020 7626 6789nick.pointon@pyv.co.ukwww.pyv.co.uk