Booth to name LALY Oscar winners

Cherie Booth QC will name the winners of this year’s legal aid Oscars on 28 June. The Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year (LALY) awards, which are in their fifth year, recognise excellence among legal aid providers who help protect the rights of some of society’s most marginalised people.

Nominees include: Colin Byrne, of Howard Byrne, whose nomination for criminal defence work was supported by powerful testimony from a teenager who was acquitted of killing her 10-week old son; mediation pioneer, Norman Hartnell of Hartnell Chanot (family work); and Michael Kennedy of Switalskis, who acts for clients with severe mental health problems.

In the social and welfare work category, both Chris Johnson, of Community Law Partnership, who provides specialist advice to gypsies and travellers, and John Gallagher, principal solicitor at Shelter, have been nominated.
Nominees for immigration work include Sue Willman (Pierce Glynn) and Hermione McEwen (Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit), while nominated young solicitors include Aika Stephenson (Lawrence & Co Solicitors) and Adam Hundt (Pierce Glynn).

Legal Aid Practitioners Group director Richard Miller says: “Legal aid is under threat as never before. These awards highlight the life-changing work that these lawyers do, day in, day out, and also just what would be lost if the government goes ahead with its ill-considered reforms to the legal aid scheme.”