Tech-first, client-first: Nara Solicitors racks up three shortlistings at the 2026 Legal Growth Awards
When a lawyer who once offered free legal aid to marginalised communities in India gets shortlisted for Entrepreneur of the Year in the UK, you pay attention. Sukhvinder Singh Nara, founder and principal solicitor of Nara Solicitors, is shortlisted for two individual awards at the 2026 Legal Growth Awards: Entrepreneur of the Year and the Recognition Award. His firm is also in the running for Small Business of the Year. Three shortlistings across two categories for a firm not yet two years old is rare in this sector.
The Legal Growth Awards are independently judged and recognise leadership and innovation across the UK legal and professional services sector. The ceremony takes place on 17 March 2026 in Lincolnshire.
The shortlist
- Entrepreneur of the Year: Sukhvinder Singh Nara (Nara Solicitors), Gary Wayne Smith TEP (Birchwood Legal), Paige Gouldthorpe (Fosters Solicitors LLP), Ann-Marie Shine-Newton (Lion Wills Limited)
- Recognition Award: Sukhvinder Singh Nara (Nara Solicitors), Sara Sheppard (SLS Wills and More), Nick Ash (W&P Legal), Bal Budesha (MapleWills Limited), Carrie Broughtwood (APT Legal)
- Small Business of the Year: Nara Solicitors, Alex Truesdale Wills, Law 365, Lion Wills
From pro bono roots to a fast-scaling London practice
Nara founded his London-based firm in January 2024. By the end of 2025, it had grown from a solo practice to a team of 18. During 2025, more than 16,500 people searched for the firm by name on Google-strong brand pull for a startup practice.
The edge: building the business like a product
Nara's relevance to legal leaders goes beyond service lines. He's building the firm with a clear bias for technology and process. In 2025, Nara Solicitors invested in AI-powered tools to help businesses stay compliant with sponsor licence requirements and other regulatory obligations. The plan for 2026 is simple: scale digital capability and upskill the entire team alongside new tech rollouts.
Market signals you can't ignore
The UK legal tech market generated about $1.8B in 2024 and is projected to reach $3B by 2030 (CAGR 9.3%), per Grand View Research. The UK also hosts 44% of Europe's lawtech startups, with 295+ companies in the space, according to LawtechUK. For clients hiring migrant skilled workers or maintaining sponsor licences, a solicitor who speaks "tech" is a practical advantage.
Zoom out and the macro picture is clear: the UK legal services market grew 6.1% in 2025 to over £55B, while the number of firms in England and Wales has fallen below 9,000. Fewer firms are capturing more of the work-and technology is a major sorting factor.
Practical takeaways for managing partners and legal ops leads
- Pick high-friction use cases first. Sponsor licence monitoring, matter intake triage, and AML/KYC checks are prime candidates. Track cycle time, accuracy, and exceptions resolved per week.
- Upskill as you deploy. Pair each tool rollout with focused training and playbooks. If you need structured options, see curated AI learning by job role at Complete AI Training.
- Bake compliance into the stack. Require audit trails, role-based access, DPIAs, and vendor assurances (e.g., UK/EU data residency, ISO 27001). Involve your DPO early-don't retrofit controls later.
- Measure brand momentum. Track branded search, conversion to consultation, and client satisfaction. Nara Solicitors' 16,500 direct searches in 2025 show how consistent delivery compounds attention.
- Codify processes. Map workflows before you automate them. Clear SOPs reduce variance, improve supervision, and make tech ROI measurable.
Why this matters
Nara didn't wait to "get established" before building with technology. He built with technology from day one-and the market responded. Three shortlistings at a national awards programme and a headcount that scaled in under two years suggest the model works.
Date to watch
17 March 2026, Lincolnshire. Whether or not he takes home the trophies, the trajectory is the signal.
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