Call for Nominations
September 28, 2020
Uncategorized
The Ministry of Law and Justice (MOL&J), Group Development Pakistan (GDP), and Women in Law Initiative Pakistan invite applications for the first ‘Women in Law Awards’ held with support from the Australian High Commission (Main Sponsor) and the British High Commission (Co-Sponsors). The Awards aim to recognize and reward female lawyers, in-house practitioners, academics, and law students from Pakistan and recognize the contributions of select entities towards an inclusive and equal legal profession.
Candidates may nominate themselves or be nominated by another person, entity, colleague, or employer by submitting the ‘Nomination Form’ attached below and submitting other relevant and requisite supporting material as prescribed in the nomination form no later than Friday, 30th October 2020.
To submit: email the scanned documents and nomination form to submissions@gdpakistan.org
For queries, please contact: submissions@gdpakistan.org
A candidate may apply for up to THREE categories at a time. The awards are divided into two main classifications, and each type has its categories:
a. Individual
The individual category awards are reserved for female lawyers, unless otherwise explicitly stated. The individual awards aim to address the gender parity in the profession and to highlight and celebrate the work of female lawyers except for the ‘male gender and diversity champion’ award, which rewards the contribution of a male lawyer(s) towards an inclusive and accessible legal profession.
b. Entity
The awards for the entities, on the other hand, will reward the contribution made by the entities towards diversity and inclusion of all marginalized classes, including women, minorities, and the differently-abled. They will be assessed on the basis of their role and contribution towards ensuring a more accessible, conducive, and inclusive legal profession.
| Categories | Criteria | Min. Requirements | |
| A. | Individual Categories (women only, unless otherwise stated) | ||
| 1 | Practitioner of the Year | Open to barristers and advocates. The winner will have achieved exceptional results for her clients, inspiring the next generation of women advocates to reach their full potential. The jury will be looking for evidence of technical legal excellence, innovation, leadership, and client satisfaction as well as a commitment to promoting the highest ethical and professional standards. A demonstrable contribution to diversity, and inclusion, is also essential. | i. LL.B Degree ii. Valid Bar Council License to appear as an Advocate iii. Five years of relevant PQE iv. A duly filled nomination form v. Supporting documents/statement vi. Appeared as a lead counsel in at least 2 cases in the past five years, which demonstrate your legal excellence, innovation, leadership and/or client satisfaction |
| 2 | Corporate/Transactional Lawyer of the Year | Open to lawyers working as corporate or transactional lawyers. The winner will have achieved exceptional results for her clients, inspiring the next generation of women advocates to reach their full potential. The jury will be looking for evidence of technical legal excellence, innovation, leadership, and client satisfaction as well as a commitment to promoting the highest ethical and professional standards. | i. LL.B Degree ii. Five years relevant PQE iii. A duly filled nomination form iv. Supporting documents/statement v. Must have independently handled at least two transactions or have had a leading role in their handling and conclusion in the past five years |
| 3 | Best Prosecutor | Open to lawyers serving as public prosecutors. The jury will be looking for evidence of technical legal excellence, innovation, leadership, and a commitment to promoting the highest ethical and professional standards with a gender/child-sensitive lens. | i. LL.B Degree ii. Valid Bar Council License to appear as an Advocate iii. Three years of relevant PQE iv. A duly filled nomination form v. Supporting documents/statement vi. Appeared as a prosecutor in at least 2 cases in the past three years, demonstrating your legal excellence, innovation, leadership, and gender-sensitive approach towards prosecution of the case. |
| 4 | Academic of the Year | This award recognizes the academic who is not only effectively shaping their students. Through their work instilling a passion for law, excellence, and expertise, she will also be a person who can demonstrate an original contribution to legal scholarship as evidence of their skill of being a thought-leader in their area/subject. The winner must be able to provide hard evidence of their achievements. | i. Post Graduate Degree in law ii. A duly filled nomination form iii. Three years of relevant PQE iv. supporting documents/statement v. at least two recent original papers showing the contribution to legal scholarship in the past three years |
| 5 | Mentor of the Year | To be considered for this award, applicants/nominees should demonstrate how their specific involvement in programs or initiatives benefitted female lawyers and led to the development and retention of talent in the profession. | i. LL.B Degree ii. Seven years PQE iii. a duly filled nomination form iv. supporting documents/statement v. Details of the program/initiative quantifying development and/or retention of female lawyers in the profession |
| 6 | Gender and Diversity Champion of the Year | Open to women whose overall achievements and work within the Pakistani legal profession has helped raise the profile of the sector as a career for women either through education, training, leadership, mentoring, or as a role model. The award is open to all roles, and the nominee must demonstrate influence in making the legal profession more inclusive and conducive for marginalized classes such as pushing for a more enabling environment, or legal and/or policy reforms increasing access to justice. | i. LL.B Degree ii. A duly filled nomination form iii. At least three years of relevant experience in promoting gender, diversity, equality, access, and inclusion in law iv. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating influence and impact towards making the legal profession more gender-sensitive and inclusive |
| 7 | Outstanding Comeback of the Year | Open to women who can provide an inspirational example of returning successfully to any role within the legal sector, highlighting personal commitment and drive. Career breaks may have been due to maternity leave or any form of long term absence such as illness or a sabbatical. | i. LL.B Degree ii. A duly filled nomination form iii. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating a career break as well as a successful return to the profession to any role within the legal sector |
| 8 | In-House Lawyer of the Year | Open to in-house lawyers/company secretaries. The winner will have achieved exceptional results for her employer, inspiring the next generation of women in-house lawyers to reach their full potential. The jury will be looking for evidence of technical legal excellence, innovation, leadership, and employer satisfaction and a commitment to promoting the highest ethical and professional standards. A demonstrable commitment to corporate social responsibility, including diversity, is essential. | i. LL.B degree ii. A duly filled nomination form iii. 5 years relevant PQE iv. Supporting documents/statement v. The candidate must have achieved exemplary results for the employer and/or otherwise demonstrate leadership and innovation in the legal department. vi. The candidate must be a team player demonstrating ethical, professional standards, and commitment to diversity and inclusion. |
| 9 | Best ADR Lawyer | Open to ADR practitioners. The applicant/nominee will have achieved outstanding results in negotiations, or other ADR means for her clients, such as enforcing arbitral awards or settlement of disputes through ADR. The jury will be looking for evidence of technical legal excellence, innovation, leadership, and client satisfaction, and a commitment to promoting the highest ethical and professional standards, amongst other things. | i. LL.B Degree ii. A duly filled nomination form iii. Five years relevant PQE iv. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating legal excellence and satisfactory results/settlements for their clients v. Must have been a counsel in at least two negotiations/arbitrations etc. in the past three years |
| 10 | Rising Star of the Year | Open to lawyers, academics, in-house counsels, etc. who have made a strong impact in a short period and show the most potential for future growth. The jury will be looking for evidence of making most efforts, increasing the individual learning arc showing impact and utility of the work completed by them, on their employer and/or on access to justice on the whole. | i. LL.B Degree ii. A duly filled nomination form iii. Two years relevant PQE iv. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating their individual growth and impact of their work on their employer and/or legal profession/access to justice |
| 11 | Unsung Achiever of the Year* | The nominee of this category will be someone her colleagues regard as indispensable to the profession but whose hard work often goes unnoticed. This could be championing a person or idea, rescuing a failing project, or going the extra mile to help others. Open to women in non-practicing roles within the legal services market. | i. LL.B Degree ii. Five years PQE iii. A duly filled nomination form *For this category, the person nominating must be different from the nominated person. **The person nominating under this category must know the nominee in a professional or academic capacity and must NOT be related to the nominee in a personal capacity. |
| 12 | Law Student of the Year | This award recognizes the academic, community, and legal achievements of female law students who, through their contribution, have inspired other law students and have excelled in their subjects as well as at other co-curricular activities such as competitions, clerkships, law clinics, or internship experiences. The applicant/nominee must be able to demonstrate hard evidence of their progress in these goals. | i. Enrolled in an undergraduate law program ii. A duly filled nomination form iii. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating academic and co-curricular achievements, as well as a commitment to gender equality, diversity, access to justice, and inclusion |
| 13 | Pro-Bono Contributor of the Year | This award recognizes lawyers who have demonstrated involvement with at least one significant pro bono initiative or project and can provide hard evidence of the outcome and impact. This need not necessarily relate to litigation but can extend to any field within law such as policy input, advocacy, training, research, teaching, etc | i. LL.B Degree ii. Five years PQE iii. A duly filled nomination form iv. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating the impact of involvement in a pro-bono case/initiative or project |
| 14 | Sole Practitioner of the Year | For lawyers working in an individual capacity, and who demonstrate their success with hard evidence of their progress in achieving the desired results and outcomes for their clients, thereby inspiring other female practitioners to pursue their independent practice. | i. LL.B Degree ii. Independent legal practice iii. Three years relevant PQE iv. A duly filled nomination form v. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating desired results and outcomes for their clients vi. Commitment to gender equality, inclusion, and diversity in law |
| 15 | Gender & Diversity Champion of the Year (Male) | Open to men working within the Pakistani legal profession in any capacity who not only mentor women but who champion diversity within the industry. The applicant/nominee will be a role model and leader and someone who has used his position to help set up initiatives and spread positive messages aimed at helping to achieve equality in the workplace and across the market. | i. LL.B Degree ii. Male iii. A duly filled nomination form iv. Five years relevant PQE v. Demonstrated commitment to gender equality, inclusion, and diversity within the legal profession vi. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating leadership in setting up initiatives and/or other efforts and contributions towards creating an enabling, accessible and inclusive legal profession |
| B. | Entity Categories (Law Firms, NGOs, Schools, Regulatory Bodies, Corporations, and others, etc.) | ||
| 16 | Best Gender and Diversity Rights Advocacy | Open to NGOs and other collectives with the best rights-based advocacy in a year. The jury will be looking for impact assessment and outcomes of the advocacy. The applicants/nominees must be able to provide hard evidence of progress in achieving their goals. The focus of the jury will be on the overall campaign design, outreach strategy, and execution of the advocacy. | i. A duly filled nomination form ii. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating a quantifiable outcome and results of the stated rights-based advocacy on issues of gender equality, child justice, access to justice, and/or the inclusive legal profession |
| 17 | Gender Project/Initiative of the Year | Open to all Pakistan based law firms, legal departments, NGOs, etc. This category focuses on a single project or initiative that has successfully improved gender diversity within the legal profession or access to justice on the whole. The jury will be looking to reward innovative, practical projects that inspire other teams to implement similar schemes. The applicants/nominees must be able to provide hard evidence of progress in achieving their goals. | i. A duly filled nomination form ii. Supporting documents/statement of project/initiative details including its aims and objectives, timeline as well as quantifiable and documented outcomes, if any on issues of gender and/or child justice, access to justice, and the inclusive legal profession |
| 18 | Most Inclusive Law Firm of the Year | The firm must be able to demonstrate effective retention and recruitment policies, flexible work arrangements, distinct policies implemented to lift several females into senior positions, systems designed to encourage women, minorities, and differently-abled at all levels to stay at the firm and remain within the profession and promote an inclusive workplace culture such as having maternity leave and benefits policy, sanitary facilities and accessibility for all etc. the winner must be able to provide hard evidence of their progress in meeting these. | i. Law firms based in Pakistan ii. A duly filled nomination form iii. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating how the firm has ensured or enabled access, inclusion, equality, and diversity within their firm |
| 19 | Legal Department of the Year | Open to in-house legal departments based in Pakistan. The applicants/nominees will demonstrate to the jury an exemplary commitment to promoting gender diversity within the workplace. The jury will be looking for unique, imaginative, and effective programs that set out to transform the department’s diversity record. The winners must be able to provide hard evidence of progress in achieving their goals. | i. Legal departments based in Pakistan ii. A duly filled nomination form iii. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating how the applicant/nominee has ensured or enabled access, inclusion, equality, and diversity within their department |
| 20 | Bar Council of the Year | The regulatory bodies Bar councils are expected to play a central and pivotal role in ensuring gender diversity, inclusiveness, and accessibility within the profession. The applicants/nominees should be able to demonstrate steps taken and policies adopted in this regard and should be able to provide hard evidence of their progress in achieving these goals. | i. A duly filled nomination form ii. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating how the applicant/nominee has ensured or enabled access, inclusion, equality, and diversity within the legal profession |
| 21 | Bar Association of the Year | The reward will be for the association that can establish its commitment and progress towards gender diversity and inclusiveness within the profession. The applicant/nominee should be able to demonstrate steps taken, and policies adopted to reform the culture and environment within their association to make it more accessible and conducive for all members and to promote among their members' values of a gender-sensitivity and inclusivity. They should be able to provide hard evidence of their progress in achieving these goals. | i. A duly filled nomination form ii. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating how the applicant/nominee has ensured or enabled access, inclusion, equality, and diversity within the legal profession |
| 22 | Law School of the Year | Open to all public and private law schools that have demonstrated commitment to gender-sensitivity workshops and training and who focus on developing their faculties as well as their students' interest and capacity in gender and diversity issues. They should also demonstrate their inclusivity and accessibility through hard evidence showing how their infrastructure and policies promote diversity and accessibility for all. | i. Recognized public or private sector law school based in Pakistan offering an undergraduate degree in law ii. Supporting documents/statement demonstrating a focus on gender sensitivity and training of faculty and staff iii. They should also be able to demonstrate their inclusivity and accessibility through hard evidence showing how their infrastructure and policies promote diversity and accessibility for all both within their school, their research, and contribution and among their students. |
Nomination Form: Click here
