When people think about industry awards, the focus is usually on whether the firm or the individual lawyer is being recognized.

What tends to get overlooked is how effective awards can be as a tool for building and strengthening relationships with clients and prospects.

Taking the time to nominate someone is a small, thoughtful action, but it can have a meaningful impact. It creates a reason to engage, shows that you’re paying attention to their work and positions you as someone who’s thinking about their broader success, not just the legal work in front of you.

It’s also something that’s easy to do but rarely done consistently, which is part of what makes it so effective. Here’s how you can start using awards as a strategic business development tool to strengthen relationships with your clients and prospects.

It reflects a deeper understanding of your clients’ work

Putting forward a nomination requires more than surface-level familiarity. You need to understand what your client or prospect is doing, how they’re differentiating themselves and why their work matters in the context of their industry.

That process is valuable. It pushes you to engage more thoughtfully with their business and gives you a clearer sense of how they want to be perceived in the market.

From the client’s perspective, it signals that you’re paying attention in a more meaningful way. You’re not just involved when there’s a transaction. You’ve taken the time to recognize their achievements and are willing to advocate for them externally.

That tends to resonate more than people expect.

It creates natural and sustained touchpoints

One of the ongoing challenges in business development is finding ways to stay in touch that feel relevant and not overly forced.

Awards create a built-in series of touchpoints. There’s a natural reason to reach out at each stage of the process, whether it’s suggesting the nomination, gathering information, sharing the submission or following up on the outcome.

Each of those interactions has a purpose, and they build on one another. Instead of a single outreach, you have a series of conversations that feel connected and intentional.

Over time, those small moments of engagement add up and help maintain momentum in the relationship.

It supports your clients’ visibility

For many clients, recognition plays a role in how they’re viewed internally and externally.

General counsel are often navigating complex organizations where visibility matters. Recognition for leadership, innovation or impact can support how they’re perceived within their company.

Private equity professionals are equally focused on how they’re positioned in the market. Awards tied to deals, firm performance or individual recognition can reinforce their standing with investors, management teams and peers.

By nominating them, you’re contributing to something that supports those goals. It’s not a direct ask or a transaction. It’s a way of adding value that aligns with what matters to them.

It strengthens relationships across the firm

There’s also an internal benefit that’s easy to miss.

Preparing a strong nomination often involves pulling together information from different parts of the firm. It creates opportunities to collaborate with other partners, connect with colleagues in different practices and work more closely with marketing and communications teams.

In doing so, it helps reinforce a more coordinated approach around key clients and sectors. It’s a simple way to align efforts without needing a formal process.

Where this is most effective

This approach tends to work particularly well in areas where visibility and reputation are closely tied to business development.

Private equity is a clear example. Sponsors are focused on how they’re perceived in the market, and recognition tied to deals, growth or sector focus can carry weight.

General counsel are another important group. While they’re not always seeking recognition directly, awards that highlight their role within the business or their approach to leadership can be meaningful.

It can also be effective with founders and senior executives, particularly in sectors where differentiation and visibility are important.

Awards to consider in the United States

There are a number of well-regarded awards in the U.S. that are worth considering:

  • Chambers USA Awards and Chambers In-House Awards
  • Legal 500 US Awards
  • Law360 MVP Awards
  • The American Lawyer Industry Awards
  • Corporate Counsel Awards and General Counsel of the Year programs
  • Mergers & Acquisitions Awards
  • Private Equity Wire US Awards
  • Buyouts Awards

These are widely recognized and tend to reach the audiences your clients care about.

Awards to consider in London and Europe

For clients with a presence in London or across Europe, there are strong options as well:

  • Chambers UK and Chambers Europe Awards
  • Legal 500 UK Awards and GC Powerlist
  • The Lawyer Awards
  • Financial News Awards
  • Private Equity Wire Europe Awards
  • Real Deals Private Equity Awards
  • IFLR Europe Awards

These awards are well regarded in the UK and European markets and are often closely followed by sponsors and financial institutions.

Broadening the lens beyond legal awards

It can also be worth looking beyond traditional legal directories.

Industry-specific awards, innovation-focused recognitions and leadership programs can sometimes have even more impact. They position your clients within their sector rather than within the legal market, which can be more meaningful depending on their goals.

This is particularly relevant in areas like healthcare, technology and industrials, where industry recognition can carry significant weight.

A more intentional approach

In practice, nominating clients and prospects for industry awards works best when it’s done with a bit of thought behind it. Focusing on a small number of people and taking the time to put together something that reflects their work tends to go further.

It also creates a way to stay engaged that feels natural. You’re reaching out with a purpose, and it gives you a reason to stay in touch over time without it feeling forced.

Nominating clients in this way is a simple step, but one that can quietly strengthen relationships in a way that’s easy to overlook.

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