London—Dentons has won Global Strategic Initiative of the Year at The Lawyer European Awards 2018 for the launch of its Nextlaw Referral Network, the industry's broadest and most innovative legal referral network in the world. The award was presented to Nextlaw Referral Network CEO Jeff Modisett at an awards ceremony in London.

Nextlaw Referral Network was launched in 2017 and disrupted the "pay-to-play" legal referral industry by shifting the overriding principle from fees to quality. It recognises that networks are more likely to connect clients to the right lawyer with the right experience in the right place if multiple firms from the same jurisdiction are permitted to be members. By treating other firms as collaborators and not competitors, Dentons believes that the combination of the world's largest law firm working together with the world's largest referral network represents the future of the legal profession.

Since setting up Nextlaw Referral Network, Dentons has also launched Nextlaw Public Affairs Network, which enables members to access companies and organisations that help clients shape government policy or public opinion through lobbying, public relations, advertising and survey research. In time, Nextlaw Referral Network will also add diplomatic and cybersecurity expertise.

John Fernandez, Dentons' Global Chief Innovation Officer, said, "Most of the legal profession still thinks that innovation is all about technology. At Dentons we also believe it is about developing the right culture – encouraging our lawyers to continually ask themselves how they can provide more creative solutions to clients. Apart from being important services in their own right, fostering an internal culture of innovation is a key motivation behind our "Nextlaw" businesses: Nextlaw Labs, Nextlaw Referral Network, Nextlaw Public Affairs Network – and now Nextlaw In-House Solutions. Taken together they equip our 8,800+ lawyers with the tools that help them to develop stronger relationships with clients."

For more information about Nextlaw Referral Network, visit www.nextlawnetwork.com.

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