The awards aim to recognise the achievements of teams and individuals from private practice firms, academic organisations and competition authorities in 2011. GCR readers will decide the winners through an online vote.

The award ceremony will take place in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, 27 March 2012. The dinner will be in support of Action for Children in Conflict.

Nominations for the awards must be received by Friday, 10 February 2012. Nominations will be accepted for the following categories:

Team awards: in-house lawyers, private practice global legal teams & economists

• Matter of the Year: Merger control, cartel, unilateral conduct or any other competition matter. Creative, strategic and innovative work by teams in private practice
• Merger Control Matter of the Year – Americas: Creative, strategic and innovative competition work on a landmark merger control matter in which the target was based in the Americas.
• Merger Control Matter of the Year – Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa: Creative, strategic and innovative competition work on a landmark merger control matter in which the target was based in Asia-Pacific, Middle East or Africa.
• Merger Control Matter of the Year – Europe: Creative, strategic and innovative competition work on a landmark merger control matter in which the target was based in Europe.
• Behavioural Matter of the Year – Americas: Creative, strategic and innovative work carried out in a behavioural matter on behalf of a defendant, a competition authority or a third party in the Americas.
• Behavioural Matter of the Year – Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa: Creative, strategic and innovative work carried out in a behavioural matter on behalf of a defendant, a competition authority or a third party in Asia-Pacific, Middle East or Africa.
• Behavioural Matter of the Year – Europe: Creative, strategic and innovative work carried out in a behavioural matter on behalf of a defendant, a competition authority or a third party in Europe.
• Litigation of the Year: Creative, strategic and innovative litigation work on behalf of a defendant, plaintiff, complainant, class or authority.

Individuals' awards

• Lawyer of the Year: A competition lawyer whose superior technical skill, practical judgement and excellence in client service in 2011 demonstrates that he or she is among the very best in the field.
• Junior Lawyer of the Year - 40 and under: A competition lawyer aged 40 or under whose superior technical skill, practical judgement and excellence in client service in 2011 demonstrates that he or she is among the very best in the field. Only lawyers born on or after 1 January 1971 may be nominated.
• Economist of the Year: A competition economist whose superior technical skill, practical judgement and excellence in client service in 2011 demonstrates that he or she is among the very best in the field.
• Corporate Counsel of the Year: An in-house competition lawyer whose superior technical skill and practical judgement on behalf of his or her company in 2011 demonstrates that he or she is among the very best in the field.
• Academic Excellence Award: An academic competition specialist who has made an outstanding contribution to national and/or international competition policy.
• Speech or Conference Session of the Year: Best public contribution to competition policy debate in 2011.
• Article of the Year: Best competition-focused, non-academic news story or feature article written by a journalist in 2011.

Enforcement awards

• Agency of the Year – Americas: An agency in the Americas whose work in 2011 was particularly creative, strategic and innovative
• Agency of the Year – Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa: An agency in Asia-Pacific, Middle East or Africa whose work in 2011 was particularly creative, strategic and innovative.
• Agency of the Year – Europe: An agency in Europe whose work in 2011 was particularly creative, strategic and innovative.
• Enforcement Matter of the Year: The best decision from a competition authority or court in 2010.

Nomination process

All nominations should be sent to: GCRawards2012@globalcompetitionreview.com

To nominate a person, team or organisation for an award, please send us the following information via email:

• Award category
• Name of nominee
• Name of nominating party
• An explanation, in no more than 300 words, of why that matter, person, team or organisation deserves to win the award

All law and economics firms, competition authorities, corporate legal departments and universities are invited to submit one nomination per category. For all nominated cases, decisions and published articles a substantial amount of work relating to the matter must have been carried out between 1 November 2010 and 31 December 2011.

For the institutional awards, the winner in each category will include all firms and individuals that worked on the nominated matter.

This year’s GCR Lifetime Achievement Award winner will also be announced.

What’s more, awards will be presented to the top 20 Global Elite firms in the 2012 edition of the GCR100.

In February, the Global Competition Review editorial team will announce the shortlisted potential candidates. Readers will then have the chance to vote for shortlisted candidates. The winner and two runners up in each category will be announced on Tuesday 27 March at the GCR Awards Dinner in Washington, DC.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any queries.

Please also note that the deadline of 10 February is a very firm one, and late submissions will not be accepted.