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Harman, who entered the House of Commons in 1982 after working as a solicitor at Brent Law Centre and Liberty, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Akanbi, formerly of King Street Capital and Clyde & Co, founded BlackWomenAspiringLawyers, which works to support women with Black heritage in their journey to become a lawyer.
The awards, addressed by Justice of the Supreme Court, Lady Simler, pay homage to women who advocate for change and break through traditional glass ceilings. The Rising Star award went to barrister Jessikah Inaba, who is blind, and is a vocal advocate for accessibility in education and the workplace.
Jacqueline McGuigan, Principal of TMP Solicitors, who has advocated for fair treatment in the workplace through her employment and discrimination law work, won Solicitor of the Year. Emma-Louise Fenelon, 1 Crown Office Row, who has raised awareness of complex legal issues through her podcast, won Barrister of the Year.
Champion of the Year went to Molly Lewis, associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, for her support for multiple social mobility schemes including her work as a board member of PRIME Commitment, which works to challenge barriers for students from less privileged backgrounds, and mentors students on its Aspiring Solicitors START and APP schemes.
The Mentor of the Year award was presented to Anuja Dhir KC, Circuit Judge at the Old Bailey, for her dedication to fostering talent throughout her career, most recently through mentoring candidates for judicial appointments.
Dana Denis-Smith, CEO of Obelisk Support and founder of the Next 100 Years, said: ‘This is our ninth celebration of female role models in law and each year the emerging talent and long-standing trail blazers of our industry continue to demonstrate why they deserve to be decorated.’
Credit: Next 100 Years/ Marcus Jamieson-Pond (photographer).
