header-logo header-logo

LALY awards celebrate legal aid stars

19 July 2023
Issue: 8034 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Legal aid focus , Career focus
printer mail-detail
Deighton Pierce Glynn has won Legal Aid Firm of the Year at this year’s Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards (LALYs) for its work supporting former Ministry of Defence interpreters in Afghanistan at risk from Taliban reprisals.

The civil rights firm brought several successful judicial reviews on behalf of Afghan nationals who worked with the British forces yet were refused entry to the UK despite living in fear of their life. Partner Daniel Carey, accepting the award, revealed two clients had been kidnapped and tortured by the Taliban before the firm was able to help.

More than 500 people attended the awards in London last week, organised by the Legal Aid Practitioners Group and compèred by broadcaster Symeon Brown.

The Outstanding Achievement award went to the family and legal team (Leigh Day and One Crown Office Row) of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who took her own life after viewing online material ‘romanticising self-harm’.

Other winners included Christian Weaver of Garden Court North (legal aid newcomer), Kathryn Cronin of Garden Court (barrister) and Alison Stanley of Bindmans (immigration).

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
back-to-top-scroll