North East’s leading law firm for businesses, Muckle LLP, has been shortlisted in two national categories in the inaugural Legal 500 ESG UK Awards.
The awards aim to honour outstanding ESG initiatives within the UK legal sector, encompassing private practice, in-house lawyers and the Bar.
The prestigious awards will see organisations and individuals recognised for their efforts to bring about change across all aspects of ESG; including diversity & inclusion and environmental and sustainability strategy.
Muckle has been shortlisted for the Social Mobility: Best initiative to Attract and Retain Talent (outside London) for its North East Solicitor Apprenticeship (NESA) programme. The programme, in partnership with Northumbria University, allows young people to earn a law degree without the debt of student loans.
Senior Partner Hugh Welch has also been shortlisted for the ‘Social Mobility: Private Practice Champion of the Year’ award due to his considerable long term efforts in driving the business’s ESG strategy and commitment to giving back to the community.
Muckle has consistently placed a strong emphasis on social and environmental impact alongside probability, and in January 2024, it became the first firm in the North East and Cumbria to be awarded a B Corporation® certificate (or B Corp™).
This achievement recognises Muckle LLP’s unwavering commitment to ESG strategy and continuous improvement, leading the charge in ethical and sustainable business practices within the legal industry in our region.
Senior Partner and head of the ESG Programme at Muckle, Hugh Welch, said: “For the past two decades, we’ve been involved in supporting the wider North East community and driving positive change. It’s great to see our efforts being noticed across the region and nationwide.
“Our commitment to ESG strategies represents the core values and culture of our entire team. It’s great to be up against influential individuals and organisations, all of whom are carrying out amazing work to improve ESG within the legal sector.”
