Obelisk Legal Support Solutions

Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, (former president of The Law Society and the current House of Lords Commissioner for Standards), noted the exodus of women solicitors leaving the profession to have children and argued that the situation will only change if the legal sector invests in targeted career development support for women.{{cite web |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/27/business/lawyer-moms/ |title=Your top-flight lawyer – she’s a stay at home mom |last=Davies |first=Catriona |date=27 November 2012 |access-date=18 July 2014}}

Obelisk Support was founded by Dana Denis-Smith in 2010{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fda6fe00-0e60-11e2-b87e-00144feabdc0.html?siteedition=uk#slide5 |title=FT.com/Special Reports/Innovative Lawyers |publisher=Rankings.ft.com |date=5 October 2012 |access-date=18 July 2014}} to aid both women and men, who take time out of law to have a family.{{cite web|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/law/article4478872.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128140348/http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/law/article4478872.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 28, 2016 |title=Flexible hours Stem the Drain in Talent |publisher=The Times |date=25 June 2015 |access-date=6 July 2015}} The company was founded on the idea of flexible work in law.{{cite web|url=http://timewise.co.uk/article/a-law-unto-themselves/ |title=A Law unto Themselves |publisher=timewise.co.uk |date=2015 |access-date=6 July 2015}}

The name of the company was inspired by Cleopatra's Needle in London.[https://obelisksupport.com/our-story/ History of the name on the company website]

Paul Owers, a partner at private-equity firm Actis and an Obelisk client, documents Obelisk Support’s ethical mission of providing flexible working solutions to professional women and men who take time off work for personal and family reasons. He notes, however, that there is a challenge in promoting the model from a business perspective, given the legal sector’s traditionally conservative approach to innovation in the market.{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324665604579080581185389114 |title=For Women, Returning to the Workplace Is a Challenge |last=Chipman |first=Andrea |date=17 September 2013 |access-date=9 June 2015}}

In 2014, Obelisk Support recorded a revenue growth of 400%.{{cite web|url=http://opportunitynow.bitc.org.uk/tools-case-studies/case-studies/awards-2014-agile-organisation-award-obelisk |title=opportunitynow.bitc.org.uk/case study/Obelisk |publisher=Opportunity Now |date=March 2014 |access-date=18 July 2014}} In March 2017, Obelisk Support signed a deal with Linklaters to use its pool of flexible lawyers to provide an additional staffing resource.{{Cite news|url=http://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/flexible-resourcing-business-house-teams-law-firms-hits-1000-lawyers|title=Flexible resourcing business for in-house teams and law firms hits 1,000 lawyers - Legal Futures|date=2017-06-01|work=Legal Futures|access-date=2017-06-19|language=en-GB}}

Obelisk Support provides legal support to 35 FTSE 100 companies, including Barclays, BT, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, ING, Intel and Vodafone.{{Cite news|url=http://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/flexible-resourcing-business-house-teams-law-firms-hits-1000-lawyers|title=Flexible resourcing business for in-house teams and law firms hits 1,000 lawyers - Legal Futures|date=2017-06-01|work=Legal Futures|access-date=2017-06-19|language=en-GB}}

• In 2019, Obelisk Support's founder Dana Denis-Smith was recognized for Outstanding Achievements in Legal Services by the Legal500.{{cite news |title=Legal500 Winners |url= https://www.legal500.com/assets/pages/roundtables/2019-l500-uk-awards.html#trophy60 |newspaper=Legal500 |publisher=Legal500 |location=London |date=6 February 2019 |access-date=6 February 2019 }} Obelisk Support was shortlisted at The Lawyer Awards in the Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion category.{{cite news |title=2019 Shortlist |url=https://www.thelawyerawards.com/categories/2019-shortlist |newspaper=The Lawyer|publisher=The Lawyer |location=London |date=25 June 2019 |access-date=25 June 2019 }}
• In 2018, Obelisk Support's founder Dana Denis-Smith was voted LexisNexis Legal Personality of the Year 2018.{{cite news |title=LexisNexis Legal Personality of the Year 2018 |url=https://www.lexisnexislegalawards.co.uk/ehome/legalawards/2018-winners/ |newspaper=LexisNexis |publisher=LexisNexis |location=London |date=15 March 2018 |access-date=23 July 2018 }} Obelisk Support was named as one of Europe’s fastest growing companies by the Financial Times{{cite news |title=The FT 1000: the complete list of Europe’s fastest-growing companies |url=https://ig.ft.com/ft-1000/2018/ |newspaper=Financial Times|publisher=FinancialTimes |location=London |date=6 April 2018 |access-date=23 July 2018 }} and was listed in the FT1000 list of Europe’s fastest-growing companies as well as Inc.com's Inc. 5000 List of Fastest-Growing European Private Companies in 2018.{{cite news |title=Inc. 5000 Europe 2018 Meet the fastest-growing private companies in Europe. |url=https://www.inc.com/inc5000eu/list/2018|newspaper=Inc.com|publisher=Inc.com |location=London |date=30 April 2018 |access-date=23 July 2018 }}
• In 2017, Obelisk Support's founder Dana Denis-Smith won the WEConnect International Best Mentor and Role Model Award.{{Cite web|url=https://weconnectinternational.org/en/network/europe/united-kingdom/news-and-events/dana-denis-smith-wins-weconnect-international-best-mentor-and-role-model-award|title=Dana Denis-Smith Wins WEConnect International Best Mentor and Role Model Award|website=weconnectinternational.org|language=en|access-date=2017-06-19}}
• In 2016, Obelisk Support won Legal Week's Innovation Awards Marketing Innovation{{Cite web|url=http://www.legalweek.com/sites/legalweek/2016/07/20/legal-week-innovation-awards-marketing-innovation-obelisk-support/|title=Siteslegalweek20160720legal Week Innovation Awards Marketing Innovation Obelisk Support - Legal Week|website=LegalWeek.com|language=en|access-date=2017-06-19}} for its project [http://theattic.london/ The Attic].
• In 2015, Obelisk was chosen by The Times' as one of the top 50 employers for women.{{cite web|url=http://www.lawcareers.net/Information/News/Several-law-firms-among-The-Times-top-50-employers-for-women-2015-30042015 |title=Several law firms among The Times’ top 50 employers for women 2015 |publisher=Law Careers |date=30 April 2015 |access-date=9 June 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/practice/law-scores-well-in-employer-for-women-table/5048372.fullarticle |title=Law scores well in employer-for-women table |publisher=Law Gazette |date=22 April 2015 |access-date=9 June 2015}} Denis-Smith also won LegalWeek’s Outstanding Legal Innovator.{{Cite web|url=http://www.legalweek.com/sites/legalweek/2015/06/29/transforming-the-sector-all-the-winners-at-the-legal-innovation-awards/|title=Siteslegalweek20150629transforming The Sector All The Winners At The Legal Innovation Awards - Legal Week|website=LegalWeek.com|language=en|access-date=2017-06-19}}
• In 2014, Obelisk Support won the Best Strategic Leadership Award at the MPF Awards 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.mpfglobal.com/awards/2014/sl.aspx |title=Best Strategic Leadership |publisher=Managing Partners’ Forum |date=2014 |access-date=18 July 2014}} It was also a finalist (for the second year) for Best Emerging Firm.{{cite web|url=http://www.mpfglobal.com/awards/2014/ef.aspx |title=Best Emerging Firm |publisher=Managing Partners’ Forum |date=2014 |access-date=18 July 2014}}
• In 2014, the firm was named runner up to Unilever for "Most Agile Organisation" at the Opportunity Now Awards.{{cite web|url=http://opportunitynow.bitc.org.uk/Awards/showcase2014 |title=Agile Organisation Award |publisher=Opportunity Now |date=2014 |access-date=18 July 2014}}
• Obelisk Support was one of three firms to be rated as a stand out in the Legal Pioneers category at the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards 2013.{{cite web|url=http://rankings.ft.com/exportranking/legal-industry-pioneers-2013/pdf |title=FT.com/Special Reports/Innovative Lawyers |publisher=Rankings.ft.com |access-date=18 July 2014}}
• In 2012, Denis-Smith was a finalist for "Legal Innovator of the Year" in the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards.
• Denis-Smith was named as one of UK Management Today’s 35 inspirational Women in Business under age 35 in 2010.{{cite web|url= http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/1012333 |title=35 Women Under 35 |publisher=Management Today |date=1 July 2010 |access-date=18 July 2014}}

In 2018, Dana Denis-Smith spoke on the 100 years of the women's suffrage at Hay Festival {{cite news |title=Hay Festival: Is 2018 The Year Of Women? |first=Neelam |last=Nijjar |url=https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/a20071464/hay-festival-2018-year-of-women/|newspaper=Elle Magazine |publisher=Elle Magazine |location=London |date=2 May 2018 |access-date=23 July 2018 }}{{cite news |title=Maggie Andrews, Sarah Greer, Anna Muggeridge, Krista Cowman, Dana Denis-Smith Is 2018 the year of women? |url=https://www.hayfestival.com/p-13714-maggie-andrews-sarah-greer-anna-muggeridge-krista-cowman-dana-denis-smith.aspx|newspaper=Hay Festival |publisher=Hay Festival |location=London |date=25 May 2018 |access-date=23 July 2018 }} and was instrumental in erecting the first statue of a woman, Millicent Fawcett, on Parliament Square.{{cite news |title=Women in Funds: A Conversation with Dana Denis-Smith |first=Carla Jane |last=Findlay-Dons |url=https://www.bbh.com/en-us/insights/women-in-funds--a-conversation-with-dana-denis-smith-30026|newspaper=Brown Brothers Harriman |publisher=Brown Brothers Harriman |location=London |date=20 June 2018 |access-date=23 July 2018 }} She was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Law by the University of Worcester {{cite news |title=University of Worcester Graduations: Tuesday, November 6, 2018 |url=https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/17203409.university-of-worcester-graduations-tuesday-november-6-2018/|newspaper=Worcester News |publisher=Worcester News |location=Worcester |date=6 November 2018 |access-date=6 November 2018 }}{{cite news |title=Honorary degrees and fellowships |url=https://www.worcester.ac.uk/life/alumni/graduation-2018/honorary-degrees-and-fellowships/honorary-degrees-and-fellowships.aspx|newspaper=University of Worcester |publisher=University of Worcester |location=Worcester |date=6 November 2018 |access-date=6 November 2018 }} for Obelisk Support's ground-breaking work on alternative models of working for women and for her inspirational commitment to championing women in the legal profession through the First 100 Year’s project.

In 2017, Obelisk Support was the only legal business selected to join London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s two-day trade mission to France.{{Cite news|url=http://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/flexible-resourcing-business-house-teams-law-firms-hits-1000-lawyers|title=Flexible resourcing business for in-house teams and law firms hits 1,000 lawyers - Legal Futures|date=2017-06-01|work=Legal Futures|access-date=2017-06-19|language=en-GB}}

On 10 June 2017, Denis-Smith delivered a TEDx talk on the topic of How to be remembered at TEDx Royal Turnbridge Wells.[https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/22070 The event] on the TED website{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/tedx_rtw?lang=en|title=TEDxRTW (@TEDx_RTW) {{!}} Twitter|website=twitter.com|language=en|access-date=2017-06-19}}

In 2016, Obelisk Support was invited to join Mayor Khan to visit North America and European capitals to emphasise that London was open for business and to showcase some of the fast-growing companies that are part of his International Business Programme.{{Cite web|url=http://www.londonandpartners.com/media-centre/press-releases/2016/20160901-london-tech-companies-join-mayors-international-business-programme-for-us-trade-mission|title=London Tech Companies Join Mayor's International Business Programme for US Trade Mission|website=www.londonandpartners.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-06-19}}

The First 100 Years project was an initiative launched in 2014 by Obelisk Support in partnership with The Law Society and the Bar Council to capture and celebrate the journey of women in the legal profession over the past 100 years. The project runs for five years and culminates in 2019 to mark the 100th anniversary since the introduction of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919.

In the year 2015, the project was launched at the House of Lords.{{cite web |url=http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/1e0fc0a8#/1e0fc0a8/8 |title=A Needle-Sharp Eye for Business |last=Dawe |first=Tony |date=22 April 2015 |access-date=9 June 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.globallegalpost.com/blogs/commentary/the-first-100-years-the-journey-of-women-in-the-legal-profession-17756863/ |title=The First 100 Years: the journey of women in the legal profession |last=Denis-Smith |first=Dana |date=31 March 2015 |access-date=9 June 2015}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.obelisksupport.com/ Obelisk Legal Support], [http://www.first100years.org.uk/ First 100 Years]

Category:Law firms based in London

Category:2010 establishments in England