Legal firm wins Supreme Business Award at Indian Newslink Business Awards
Auckland, November 26, 2018
South Auckland based Legal firm, Legal Associates was a major winner at the Eleventh Annual Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards held at SkyCity Convention Centre, Auckland City tonight.
The firm was named the Supreme Business of the Year, the highest Award.
Legal Associates also won the Business Excellence in Marketing Award, while Haseeb Ashraf, one of its Barristers & Solicitors, won the Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Legal Associates was also a finalist in Business Excellence in Innovation and Business Excellence in Customer Service categories.
Shyama Sharma, another Barrister & Solicitor of the firm was honoured with the Indian Newslink Commemorative Award for Best Businesswoman.
Among the Guests of Honour at the gala Black Tie Event were Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Finance Minister Grant Robertson, Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni, Export Growth and Trade Minister David Parker, Police Minister Stuart Nash, Ethnic Communities Minister Jenny Salesa, Leader of the Opposition Simon Bridges, Auckland Mayor Phil Goff, Indian High Commissioner Sanjeev Kohli, New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Fiji Jonathan Curr, Consul General and Trade Commissioner Australia and New Zealand of Fiji based in Sydney,
Winner:
Legal Associates
Legal Associates, founded by Raj and Ashima Singh, is based in Papatoetoe, South Auckland and offers a wide range of legal services to over 2000 clients.
The staff is multi-national to reflect their client base and includes Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Samoan and Tongan.
Legal Associates have addressed a lack of awareness of legal responsibilities, obligations and rights which create a gap between migrant communities and their ability to smoothly transition into settling in New Zealand.
Customers and meeting customer needs are at the centre of what Legal Associates do – across many ethnic groups and a addressing a broadening range of needs. Innovation to Legal Associates means spotting customer needs that are not well serviced and developing solutions to meet those needs.
There is a written marketing plan that includes new services to be delivered, new locations and the revenue growth and profit metrics.
A significant amount of community involvement means this business is very connected. Use of free seminars, free assistance on Saturdays and discounted services to those in dire need including referrals from a Consulate or MP is common.
The Judges congratulate Raj and Ashima and their team for building a marvellous profitable Legal business with a genuine focus on community support and involvement. Their accomplishments are a fine example of Business for Good.
Legal Associates is a worthy winner of the Supreme Business of the Year Award.
Seven other companies were finalists for the Supreme Business Award 2018. They were
Focus Marketing, Loan Market Waitakere, West City Auto Group, STAAH, Immigration Advice Limited, Forever Shine Beauty Therapy and Brisk Insurance.
The following were the winners in individual categories:
- Forever Shine Beauty Therapy: Business Excellence in Retail Trade
- Business Excellence in Innovation: STAAH
(Finalists: Ecobags New Zealand, Legal Associates, Brisk Insurance and Forever Shine Beauty Therapy)
Ecobags received special commendation of the independent panel of judges.
- Business Excellence in Marketing: Legal Associates Limited
(Finalists: Focus Marketing, Loan Market Waitakere, STAAH)
- Business Excellence in Customer Service: Loan Market Waitakere
(Finalists: Legal Associates, Forever Shine Beauty Therapy, STAAH, R Jay Financial Services, Brisk Insurance)
- Best Employer of Choice: Focus Marketing Limited
(Finalist: R Jay Financial Services)
- Best Small Business: Brisk Insurance
(Finalists: R Jay Financial Services and Vision Sales & Marketing)
- Best Medium-Sized Business: Immigration Advice (NZ) Limited
- Best Large Business: Focus Marketing Limited
- Business Excellence in Health & Safety: West City Auto Group
- Business Excellence in International Trade with India: Independent Advisory Services – Ascent Group
- Best Accountant of the Year: Ragavan Rengachariar-United Industries Limited
- Best Financial Advisor (Mortgage) of the Year: Satyan Mehra-iConsult-Finance & Risk (Finalist: Raman Chouhan-R Jay Financial Services)
- Best Financial Advisor (Insurance) of the Year: R J Financial Services
- Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Winner: Haseeb Ashraf- Legal Associates
(Finalists: Raman Chauhan – R Jay Financial Services; Kiran Arul – Focus Marketing)
- Best Businesswoman of the Year: Winner: Rachana Dave – Loan Market Waitakere
(Finalist: Shyama Sharma – Legal Associates)
Special Commemorative Awards
Among the other highlights of the evening was the presentation of four Commemorative Awards to businesses or businesspersons for their outstanding contributions to the business community.
Among them was the Vinod Patel Group of Fiji, New Zealand and Australia, which received the
Robert Lateef Khan (Senior) Commemorative Award received by the Australia based Executive Chairman Daksesh Patel.
The Wenceslaus Anthony Commemorative Award for Best Employer was given to Stewart Sherriff, Chief Executive of 2degrees Mobile Limited.
Indra Sirigiri, Chairman & Managing Director of Link2 Services Limited, was the recipient of the Indian Newslink Commemorative Award for Health & Safety.
The Raman (Roy) Ranchhod Commemorative Award was received by Shyama Sharma, Barrister & Solicitor, Legal Associates.
The Sponsors
The Rainbow Corner of Companies was the Title Sponsor of this Year’s Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards with the Consulate General and Trade Commission Australia and New Zealand of Fiji as the Major Support Sponsor. Among the category sponsors were 2degrees Mobile Limited, AIA New Zealand, Charles Pandey Group of Hotels (Hotel Grand Windsor), Link2 Services, Singapore Airlines, PIC Insurance Brokers, Manukau Institute of Technology, Oaks Property Management, Smart Pay Roll, Alexandra Park, Mercury Printz and Radio Tarana. Support Sponsor: Human Rights Commission, New Zealand.
