The Legal Aid Practitioners Group will hold the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards ceremony in central London on July 12, 2023. We extend our congratulations to the 28 individuals and 6 organisations chosen as finalists for the awards. Ann Henderson, Director of Bidwell Henderson, will be present to celebrate the finalists’ accomplishments.

 

Below is the list of finalists. We wish you the best of luck!

 

1) Criminal Defence – sponsored by DG Legal

Andrew Palazzo – McCormacks Solicitors

Aneka Thirurajah – Hodge Jones & Allen

Catherine Bond – SL5 Legal

2) Legal Aid Newcomer – sponsored by Friends of LALY23

Christian Weaver – Garden Court North Chambers

Danielle Manson – Garden Court Chambers

Ife Thompson – 1MCB Chambers

Josie Hicklin – Greater Manchester Law Centre

3) Social Welfare Law – sponsored by Doughty Street Chambers

Christopher Johnson – Community Law Partnership

Jamila Duncan-Bosu – Anti Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit

Jess Haley – Bristol Law Centre

4) Children’s Rights – sponsored by Leigh Day

Alia Lewis – Duncan Lewis

Whitney Hard – Coram Children’s Legal Centre

Katie Wilkins – Irwin Mitchell

5) Family Legal Aid – sponsored by Resolution

Amna Khaliq – Wilson Solicitors LLP

Saifalee Doolooa-Collins – Reeds Solicitors

Victoria Jones – RLE Law

6) Legal Aid Support Staffer – sponsored by Accesspoint

Katayoon Zare – TRP Solicitors

Kelly Smith – Child Poverty Action Group

Sheree Clark – Coram Children’s Legal Centre

7) Legal Aid Barrister – sponsored by The Bar Council

Antonia Benfield – Doughty Street Chambers

David Gardner – No5 Chambers

Kathryn Cronin – Garden Court Chambers

8) Legal Aid Firm/Not-for-Profit Agency – sponsored by The Law Society

Central England Law Centre

Deighton Pierce Glynn

Watkins & Gunn Solicitors

9) Regional Legal Aid Firm/Not-for-Profit Agency – sponsored by The Legal Education Foundation

Butler & Co Solicitors

Fountain Solicitors

Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit

10) Immigration & Asylum Law – sponsored by Garden Court Chambers

Alison Stanley – Bindmans LLP

Daniel Merriman – Wilson Solicitors LLP

Nath Gbikpi – Leigh Day

11) Public Law – sponsored by One Pump Court Chambers

Nusrat Uddin – Wilson Solicitors LLP

Stephanie Hill – Leigh Day

Emma Vincent Miller – Public Law Project

12) Outstanding Achievement – sponsored by Matrix Chambers

No shortlist for this award