Wilkes named Corporate Law Firm of the Year
A leading law firm has won Corporate Law Firm of the Year at the Inside Midlands Dealmakers Awards 2026.
Wilkes received the recognition at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole and was shortlisted across four categories, including individual recognition for senior partner Gareth O'Hara.
The win follows a record year for both Wilkes' corporate department and the firm.
The corporate team advised on many deals, in particular the sale of Johnsons Cars, one of the UK's largest independent dealer groups, to AWR Holdings UK Limited, along with the management buyout of Autosmart International and the sale of Complesso Healthcare Solutions to Eden Futures.
Wilkes had also been shortlisted twice for Deal of the Year (£10m–£50m), for the Complesso and Autosmart transactions, and for Deal of the Year (£50m+) for Johnsons Cars. Gareth O'Hara was shortlisted individually for Corporate Lawyer of the Year.
Ellie Holland, managing partner at Wilkes, said: "This is the result of consistent, hard work across the corporate department over a number of years, not one standout deal.
"To deliver record fee income and five shortlistings in the same year shows real depth and the progress that Wilkes is making in this market, and it's fantastic to see this now recognised externally."
Gareth O'Hara, senior partner at Wilkes, said: "The scale and complexity of the deals we've handled over the last 12 months only comes together because of the strength across many departments, corporate, real estate and employment in particular.
"What I'm most proud of is our people and the relationships we have with our clients. It's much more than another deal for us.
"We keep clients through that process and afterwards. It's not just about completing transactions for us; it's about building relationships and helping clients reach their goals.
"Winning Corporate Law Firm of the Year reflects both the quality of the work, the dedication of our people and the relationships we have with clients and other professionals."
