Herbert Smith was honoured to receive the award for 'significant achievement in the field of dispute resolution' from CEDR (the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution), who commented that Herbert Smith "won for demonstrating a consistently high-level of dedication to ADR use, internally and externally, through a variety of comprehensive and effective ADR programmes in the UK and overseas." The award was annouced at a ceremony for over 200 guests from the legal and ADR community held at the Waldorf Hotel on 17 November 2010. The Awards marked the 20th anniversary of the creation of CEDR, now Europe's largest independent ADR centre. The panel of judges comprised The Rt Hon Lord Woolf of Barnes, Sir Alex Jarratt (CEDR's Life President), Patrick Deane of Nestlé, Noel Campbell of Holman Fenwick & Willan, Martin Josephs of COLT and Deborah Prince of Which?
Following this achievement, on 11 January 2011 we were awarded the Large Law Firm ADR Award for Excellence at the CPR Institute's 2011 Annual Meeting in New York. The award was judged by in-house counsel from Exxon Mobil, Johnson & Johnson, GE, Abbott Laboratories and Du Pont as well as academics from the University of Missouri and Pepperdine University in California. The judges complimented the firm on its efforts in this field: "Not content to rest on its laurels as the winner of the 2008 CPR Law Firm Award, Herbert Smith pushed the envelope by expanding the profile of ADR through their international network of offices".
Naturally we are delighted to hold ADR awards on both sides of the Atlantic simultaneously from leading ADR organisations and that our commitment to all forms of ADR as part of our pre-eminent disputes brand is recognised.