Our director of Dispute Resolution, Giles Hill, has been recognised as one of the elite lawyers in the UK.

Giles was selected by his peers for inclusion in the latest edition of The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom, the oldest and most respected guide to the legal profession.

Following a lengthy assessment, his work in litigation (offshore) was highly commended for best practice and excellence across the entire legal industry.

The shortlist was determined by a panel of more than 60 expert judges from across the industry who debated entries from law firms, companies and barristers' chambers within specific practice areas. Giles, who has acted on a number of high-profile and landmark cases for DQ, undertakes and oversees a varied practice of complex disputes usually relating to companies, financial services or trusts.

A qualified mediator with ADRGroup, he didn't even know he was in the reckoning until receiving an e-mail informing him of the honour.

'To be nominated and voted on by my peers is incredibly humbling and this is massive recognition for everyone at DQ,' he explained. 'It came totally out of the blue and was a major surprise but I am naturally delighted, if a little curious where the nomination stemmed from. I see this as reward for the whole Dispute Resolution team and one which is testament to our highly talented staff across the practice. We pride ourselves on our professionalism and excellent client service and this shows DQ is going from strength-to-strength from a litigation perspective and matching the big boys by continuing to punch above our weight.'

The process begins when lawyers are nominated for consideration. They are divided by geographic region and practice areas and are then evaluated by their peers on the basis of professional expertise. Those who receive high peer reviews undergo an authentication process to make sure they are currently practicing and in good standing. Only then can the top lawyers be included in Best Lawyers.