Breitling, Bulgari and Baker McKenzie among winners at Luxury Law Awards 2025

Individual winners included Selfridges’ GC Emma Howes and Rolling Stones manager Joyce Smyth

The Baker McKenzie team collect their award from awards host Abbi Hunt, Belmond’s general counsel

Breitling, Bulgari, Baker McKenzie and music lawyer Joyce Smyth, who manages the Rolling Stones, were among the standout winners at the 2025 Luxury Law Awards.

The ceremony, which took place alongside the Luxury Law Summit at the British Museum on Tuesday (10 June), recognised excellence across both private practice and in-house legal teams serving the luxury sector.

The final honour of the evening, the Lifetime Achievement Award, went to Joyce Smyth, founder of Glastry Advisory Partners. Smyth was recognised for her legal and business leadership, including her long-time representation of the Rolling Stones and her contributions to elevating women in the music industry.

Leading the private practice awards, Baker McKenzie was named Luxury Law Firm of the Year – International Law Firm for its market-leading work on ESG compliance, digital brand protection and high-profile deals. Judges praised the firm for “interweaving ESG advice with its own strategy and values”.

Buenos Aires boutique Litvin Marzorati Legales took home Luxury Law Firm of the Year – Independent Law Firm for its wide-ranging advice to luxury clients, while UK-based Stobbs won IP Team of the Year for its strategic handling of a complex counterfeiting case.

In the individual categories, Keith Markel was named Partner of the Year for his work advising global fashion houses including Valentino, Moncler and Dolce & Gabbana on employment and litigation issues.

Among the brand-side winners, Bulgari took home In-house IP Team of the Year, with the judges highlighting the team’s success in a Paris Court of Appeal decision that affirmed the distinctiveness of a key design element.

Breitling was named Legal Team of the Year for its cross-functional work on compliance and ESG, including a landmark US ruling on the trademark status of “red gold”.

Meanwhile, Emma Howes, general counsel at Selfridges, was recognised as General Counsel of the Year for her leadership during a significant ownership transition at the department store group.

Other winners included Emma Anthony of Phoebe Philo (Fashion Counsel of the Year), Niccolò Pallesi of Ferretti Group (Global General Counsel of the Year), and Nessa McGill of Align Pictures (Business Leader of the Year). Nishanth Chopra, founder of India’s Oschadi Collective, was named Entrepreneur of the Year, and Sue Timney won ESG Initiative of the Year for her work on inclusive later-living design.

The award sponsors are: 

  • Browne Jacobson
  • Davis Wright Tremaine
  • Foley & Lardner
  • Graff Search
  • K&L Gates
  • Killik & Co
  • McCarthy Tétrault
  • Saul Ewing
  • Taylor Wessing

    Click here for a full list of the winners with details of why they won.

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