Hogan Lovells Wins Most Innovative Firm in Financial Times North America Innovative Lawyers Awards - CEO Steve Immelt also honored as Innovative Leader
Washington, D.C., 10 December 2019 – Hogan Lovells has won “Most Innovative Law Firm” in the 2019 Financial Times North America Innovative Lawyers.
At the award dinner, held at New York’s Gotham Hall, the firm was recognized for a range of innovative changes to the way it manages its business: internally with its technology and people; externally with services and products for clients; and for its outstanding body of legal work completed in 2019.
Chief Executive Officer Steve Immelt was recognized for his accomplishments in the Innovative Individual category. The award comes as he enters his last six months as CEO ahead of stepping down next July. Immelt was hailed for the many innovations Hogan Lovells has embraced in the six years he has led the firm, creating a “strategy that has put innovation at the heart of the firm.”
“I could not be more proud of the people I have had the pleasure of working with and the honor of leading,” said Immelt. “The ability and willingness to innovate is crucial to the legal industry. I have made this a firm priority, so I am very pleased our efforts are being recognized by the market.”
“We are thrilled and thankful for this outstanding recognition. Every day our people are developing new services, collaborating with clients to solve their toughest problems, and preparing to compete and win in the legal marketplace for years to come,” said Lead Innovation Partner Mark W. Brennan. “We are championing innovation in all of its voices and forms.”
Hogan Lovells also was selected as the Standout entry in one category, “Collaboration,” for our work in developing a toolkit for the replacement of the LIBOR bank lending rate, which helps our clients manage this complex transition and facilitates future compliance efforts. The Hogan Lovells team was led by Head of Financial Institutions Sector Industry Group Sharon Lewis, Head of Innovation and Digital Stephen Allen, Head of Alternative Delivery Solutions Rachel Dabydoyal, the global head of Hogan Lovells' financial services litigation practice Marc Gottridge, and Evan Koster.
To cap off an outstanding evening, Hogan Lovells achieved highly commended and commended ratings in several other categories:
• Highly Commended in “Managing Complexity and Scale” for our work on behalf of a group of bondholders (the “MexCat” bondholders) in a high-profile dispute with the Mexican government over restructuring one of the largest bonds ever issued in Latin America. The Hogan Lovells team was led by partners Ron Silverman, Emil Arca, and Federico De Noriega Olea.
• Highly Commended in “New Business and Service Delivery Models” for our global work for and with pharmaceutical company Mylan, including working with the company in its defense of three simultaneous and significant multidistrict litigations. The Hogan Lovells team is led by partner Adam Levin.
• Commended in "Managing Scale and Complexity" for our work on Walmart's US$16 billion deal to acquire India's largest e-commerce group, FlipKart. The Hogan Lovells team was led by partner Rick Climan.
• Commended in “New Products and Services” for Education GOES International, a combined research and analysis tool for clients that offer online education on a global scale. The project was developed by partners Bill Ferreira and Stephanie Gold, and counsel Greg Ferenbach.
• Commended in “Talent, Strategy and changing Behaviors” for the creation of a career counseling service that helps current and former Hogan Lovells lawyers with confidential career advice and opportunities. The service is run by senior counsel Bob Duncan.
In addition to these achievements, Hogan Lovells also placed 5th in the “Business of Law” category.
The full Financial Times Innovative Lawyer North America 2019 report can be found here.