header-logo header-logo

02 January 2026
Issue: 8144 / Categories: Legal News , Profession
printer mail-detail

Lawyers feature in New Year Honours List

Former Law Society president, I Stephanie Boyce has been awarded a CBE for services to the legal profession, diversity and access to justice, in HM The King’s New Year Honours List 2026

Boyce, who made history by becoming the Law Society’s first Black president and first person of colour president, led the team at Chancery Lane from March 2021 to October 2022.

CBEs also went to Judge Patrick Peruško, designated family judge at the Family Drug and Alcohol Court, and, north of the border, Lady Rita Rae, solicitor, advocate, former sheriff at Glasgow and former judge at the Court of Session.

Paul Lewis, firmwide managing partner, Linklaters, received an OBE for his work with Business in the Community in Newport.

In a LinkedIn post, Lewis said he was ‘extremely proud’ to receive the award, which ‘recognises the collective work of many’, and had been privileged to ‘help tackle poverty, unlock new opportunities for skill development and to position Newport as a beacon of economic development while protecting its natural assets’.

He recommended that any CEO join a Business in the Community Seeing is Believing (SIB) programme—‘I can attest that it is genuinely life-changing.’ The programme connects senior business leaders with communities to support growth across the UK.

OBEs also went to Judge Jeff Blackett, a former Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, and to corporate lawyer Barry O’Brien, who was a partner at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer before moving in-house.

Judge Jeff Blackett, a rugby player and judicial officer in three Rugby World Cups, received his award for services to justice and to charitable causes. O’Brien, a former Glamorgan chairman and chair of the England and Wales Cricket Board, received his award for services to the law, to cricket and to charity.

Issue: 8144 / Categories: Legal News , Profession
printer mail-details

MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Nikki Bowker, Devonshires

NLJ Career Profile: Nikki Bowker, Devonshires

Nikki Bowker, head of dispute resolution at Devonshires, on career resilience, diversity in law and channelling Elle Woods when the pressure is on

Ellisons—Sarah Osborne

Ellisons—Sarah Osborne

Leasehold enfranchisement specialist joins residential property team

DWF—Chris Air

DWF—Chris Air

Firm strengthens commercial team in Manchester with partner appointment

NEWS
The government will aim to pass legislation banning leasehold for new flats and capping ground rent, introducing non-compulsory digital ID and creating a ‘duty of candour’ for public servants (also known as the Hillsborough law) in the next Parliament

An Italian financier has lost his bid to block his Australian wife from filing divorce papers in England on the basis it was no longer her domicile of choice

Reforms to the disclosure regime in the business and property courts have not achieved their objectives, lawyers have warned
The Law Society has urged ministers to hold a public consultation on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the justice system as a whole
Ministers have proposed bringing inquest work under a single fee scheme for legal help and advocacy legal aid work
back-to-top-scroll