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The deadline to enter the LLG Awards is fast approaching, with submissions closing at midnight this Friday. If you haven’t yet entered — or nominated a colleague whose work deserves recognition — now is the moment to act.
This year’s awards celebrate excellence, innovation, and dedication across the local government legal profession. With six categories recognising talent at every level, the awards shine a spotlight on the individuals and teams who make a real difference to our sector.
To inspire those still considering an entry, we recently spoke with one Stockport Council Legal Team, who won last year's Excellence in Training Award, about their experience, the impact of the award, and their advice for this year’s nominees.
What did winning your LLG Award mean to you and your team?
Winning the LLG Award was a genuinely proud moment for us at Stockport. It recognised the hard work, resilience, and commitment shown across our legal teams during an exceptionally challenging period. For many colleagues, it affirmed that the work they do every day (often behind the scenes), has real impact and value nationally as well as locally. It also gave the team a real boost in confidence and morale, reinforcing that innovation and high standards in local government legal practice are noticed and appreciated. It had a tangible impact on team morale. People felt proud not just of the achievement itself but of the collective effort that had led to it. It also helped reinforce Stockport’s reputation as a forward‑thinking authority, willing to innovate and invest in its people. For many team members, particularly those earlier in their careers, it was an inspiring moment that emphasised the national calibre of local government legal work.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about entering this year but hasn’t decided yet?
I would absolutely encourage them to go for it. Local government lawyers often undersell the complexity and significance of what they deliver. Preparing a submission is a great opportunity to reflect on achievements, celebrate successes, and showcase the difference you make to your organisation and community. Even the process of drafting an entry shines a light on the talent and dedication within your team. Whether you win or not, it’s a valuable experience and well worth doing. The entry process itself can be incredibly affirming for teams, giving them a platform to celebrate achievements that might otherwise be overshadowed by the pace of day‑to‑day work.
What impact has your training initiative had since winning?
Since winning, our training initiative has gained further momentum and visibility within the Council. It strengthened organisational confidence in investing in structured development pathways, particularly for future leaders and specialist areas of practice. We have seen improved consistency in legal advice, greater cross‑team collaboration, and a real enthusiasm from colleagues to both learn and contribute to the programme. The award helped reinforce the importance of developing our people and has encouraged broader participation across the service. Importantly, the award shone a spotlight on the importance of investing in talent and succession planning. It has helped us make the case for further development opportunities, and it has encouraged trainees and newly qualified solicitors to see Stockport as a place where they can progress and thrive. In many ways, it acted as a catalyst for a broader conversation about leadership, capability and the future of legal services within the authority.
Will you be entering the awards again this year?
Yes, we are preparing submissions again this year. The awards provide a valuable platform to recognise excellence, share good practice, and highlight the work of talented colleagues. We see it as an important part of celebrating our achievements, and we’re excited to put forward entries in several categories. The process encourages us to pause and reflect on our work, to recognise where progress has been made, and to acknowledge the individuals and teams who consistently go above and beyond. We see the awards not only as an opportunity to showcase our achievements but also as a way of contributing to the wider sector by highlighting innovative approaches, emerging challenges and lessons learned.
Their story is a powerful reminder of the value of recognising excellence within our profession — and of the opportunities that can follow.
Entries close at midnight this Friday.
👉 Enter or nominate here: LLG Awards 2026 Application Form – Fill in form
Join us in celebrating the outstanding work happening across local government legal services.
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