Powered by technology designed by independent polling company BigPulse Opinion Markets, consumers of legal services will be able to vote for their top firms across 24 areas of practice. The poll will also allow the entire legal profession to choose winners in nine Premium Award categories including Australian Law Firm of the Year, Employer of Choice, and the award for lifetime achievement.

Another improvement this year will see in-house counsel and others able to engage in online forums regarding each award.

This year, for the first time, voters will be able to nominate online their own candidates for the poll, while the new methodology will also include a formal audit of the voting process. The event’s organisers, the publishers of Lawyers Weekly, believe the online vote will deliver the most accurate reflection yet of the views of those who use legal services on which firms are the true top performers.

The poll site can be accessed via www.lawawards.com.au.

Next week, Lawyers Weekly will speak with BigPulse Opinion Markets about how its polling system was designed.