Norton Rose Fulbright recognised at The Legal 500 ESG Awards 2026

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has been recognised with two awards at The Legal 500 ESG Awards 2026.

London-based disputes partner Stuart Neely won the inaugural ESG: Client Partner of the Year, while Legal CORE (Collaboration on Race and Ethnicity), of which Norton Rose Fulbright is a founding member and steering group participant, won Ethnicity: Best Initiative of the Year.

The Legal 500 ESG Awards recognise law firms, in-house teams and individuals who are driving meaningful progress on ESG issues, based on independent research and market feedback.

ESG: Client Partner of the Year - Stuart Neely

The ESG: Client Partner of the Year award recognises outstanding client service and leadership in the ESG space. It is awarded to the partner who received the strongest client endorsements in Legal 500's ESG research. Stuart Neely was recognised for his extensive work advising clients on business and human rights and ESG-related matters, as well as his strategic counsel on complex, high-risk issues.

Stuart co-leads Norton Rose Fulbright's global Business & Human Rights (BHR) practice and regularly advises clients on the development of human rights and ESG due diligence programmes, public disclosures, transaction-related due diligence and grievance mechanisms.

Commenting on the award, Stuart Neely said:

"I am grateful to our fantastic clients for their trust and to my colleagues across the firm. Supporting our clients as they navigate increasingly complex ESG challenges is very much a collective effort."

Ethnicity: Best Initiative of the Year - Legal CORE

The Ethnicity: Best Initiative of the Year award was given to Legal CORE (Collaboration on Race and Ethnicity), a UK law firm collective launched in 2021 to tackle racial underrepresentation in the legal sector through coordinated, action-focused initiatives.

Norton Rose Fulbright is a founding steering group member of Legal CORE. Legal CORE brings together law firms to drive practical change aimed at improving the recruitment, retention and progression of ethnic minority talent across the legal profession.

Commenting on Legal CORE's recognition, Farmida Bi Chair Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific at Norton Rose Fulbright said:

"We are proud to be a founding member of Legal CORE and to see the collective recognised by The Legal 500 ESG Awards. Meaningful progress on race and ethnicity requires sustained collaboration and practical action across the profession, and Legal CORE has been instrumental in driving this forward."