Dorset County Council and Tri-borough Legal Services, the shared legal service for Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster Councils, were highly commended.
The other finalists in the category were: the shared legal service for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and Thurrock Borough Council (BDT Legal); the London Borough of Waltham Forest; and Warwickshire County Council.
The award was sponsored by Lawyers in Local Government and presented by LLG President Doreen Forrester-Brown of Southwark Council at a ceremony at the Hilton on Park Lane.
In other categories Wolverhampton City Council picked up Local Authority of the Year, Excellence in Governance and Scrutiny and Senior Leadership Team.