The 2018 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards (LALY18) paid tribute to some of the brightest stars in the legal aid field in a ceremony attended by 500 practitioners in central London this week.
Among the night’s winners were the next president of the Family Division Lord Justice Andrew McFarlane, who took home the Outstanding Achievement award, and Birnberg Peirce’s Harriet Wistrich, named Public Lawyer of the Year for her work including the first ever challenge of a Parole Board decision in the Worboys case.
Other winners included Housing Lawyer of the Year Giles Peaker of Anthony Gold, for his efforts on the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Bill. Co-founder of Just for Kids Law and 2007’s recipient of the Young Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year award Aika Stephenson was named Criminal Defence Lawyer of the Year, making her the first person to earn two individual LALY awards.
This year’s LALY ceremony marked the launch of a new award category to recognise the work of legal aid practice managers, the inaugural winner of which was Adam Makepeace of Tuckers Solicitors. The night also saw Ealing Law Centre take home the prize for Legal Aid Firm or Not-for-profit Agency, and Lewis Kett of Duncan Lewis be named Legal Aid Newcomer, an award which was sponsored by the crowdfunding efforts of the Friends of LALY18 campaign.
For more information on the LALY awards, visit the Legal Aid Practitioners Group website.
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