MORE Liverpool law firms are vying for coveted Legal Awards than the previous competition, the Law Society confirmed last night.

The judging panel are currently sifting through the record number of entries to choose the winners of the second bi-annual event.

A Law Society spokesman said: “The awards have attracted great interest this year, with numbers of nominees greater than in previous years, across the whole spectrum of law firms, from small to international practices headquartered in Liverpool, reflecting the high regard in which the awards are held.

“Increasingly, Liverpool’s law firms are being instructed by blue-chip and international clients that may have traditionally have instructed London practices, due to the quality, expertise and lower costs, particularly in these times of economic pressure.”

The panel of three judges is chaired by Peter Rhodes, president of Liverpool Law Society in 1998/99.

The judges are Judge Henry Globe, QC, the Recorder of Liverpool, Professor Stephen Mayson, legal consultant and director of the Legal Services Policy Institute at the College of Law, and Neil Ashbridge, Deputy Agent for the Bank of England in North West and based in Liverpool.

Jean Harkin, one of the founding partners of Harkin Lloyd, confirmed the practice had entered the Law Firm of the Year category in an attempt to defend the title it picked up in 2007.

Ms Harkin told LDP Legal: “The reason we’ve entered this year is because we have appointed a solicitor who deals with deafness – she’s fully qualified to do sign language and we have elderly clients who are hard of hearing.

“The awards helped us as we were shortlisted for a national award and were the only Liverpool firm to be on that shortlist. And we’re allowed to use the winner’s logo on our letter head.

“Apparently, all the top firms are entering this year. The word on the street is that the big firms are going for it.”

Ian MacGregor, managing partner of Lees Solicitors, also said: “The awards are considered very prestigious among the legal and wider business community, so it is no surprise that there is increasing interest among society members in securing an award in one of the categories.”

All the awards will be given out at a ceremony in the Crowne Plaza Hotel on June 27.

Categories include Barrister of the Year and Niche Law Firm of the Year.