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LALY 2005 winners announced

Independent Lawyer and the Legal Aid Practitioners Group are very proud to announce the winners of the 2005 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards. (For more details about the winners, click here; for details of all those short listed, click here. For names of the 2005 LALY judges, click here.)

2005 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Winners

  • Legal aid personality of the year
    Sponsored by Law Abroad

    - Ole Hansen (Ole Hansen & Partners)

  • Criminal Defence
    Sponsored by Criminal Law Solicitors Association)

    - Stephen Scully (Ian Henery & Co)

  • Family
    Sponsored by the Solicitors Family Law Association)

    - Peggy Ray (Goodman Ray)

  • Immigration
    Sponsored by Law Society)

    - Anna Skehan (Islington Law Centre)

  • Mental health
    Sponsored by Matrix)

    - Lucy Scott-Moncrieff (Scott-Moncrieff, Harbour & Sinclair)

  • Social & welfare
    Sponsored by JRS Consultants)

    - Helen Williams (Morgans)

  • Barrister

    - David Watkinson (2 Garden Court)

  • Team
    Sponsored by 36 Bedford Row)

    - Luigi Sterlini & Linda Rand, Tyrer Roxburgh & Co

  • Young Legal Aid Solicitor
    Sponsored by Legal Services Commission)

    - Shazia Khan (Christian Khan Solicitors)

  • Young Legal Aid Barrister

    - Edward Grieves (10-11 Gray's Inn Square)

About the LALYs

The Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards are now into their third year, and have become a key fixture on the legal aid calendar. They are co-organised by Independent Lawyer magazine and the Legal Aid Practitioners Group as a rare and much-needed opportunity to celebrate excellence among legal aid professionals.

The LALYs are non-profit-making and would not be possible without the generous support of our principal sponsor Jordans and the sponsors of the individual awards. These are companies and organisations which are proud to be associated with the legal aid profession and understand the importance of their work.

If you would like to be kept informed about the 2006 LALYs or are interested in being a sponsor at next year's event, please email: fiona.bawdon@independent-lawyer.com

The judges were:

Cherie Booth QC (chair)

Fiona Bawdon (Independent Lawyer)
Yvonne Brown (Black Solicitors Network)
HHJ Henry Hodge
Steve Hynes (Law Centres Federation)
Doreen Lawrence (Stephen Lawrence Trust)
Roy Morgan (Legal Aid Practitioners Group)
Helen Shaw (Inquest)
Sajid Sheihk (Sheikh & Co)
Rodney Warren (Criminal Law Solicitors Association)

Top

' As winner of the 2003 LALY for criminal defence work, I felt honoured to be present among so many dedicated professionals. I believe that these awards were long overdue. The tremendous commitment displayed by lawyers and their support staff working under the constraints of the ever diminishing legal aid budget should be recognised and celebrated.The goodwill on the night of the ceremony made the event a tremendous success. Long may they continue. ' - Richard Egan, Tuckers.

' Given the unwarranted attacks by certain Labour politicians on legal aid, these awards go some way to redressing the balance and recognising the extraordinary commitment and diligence shown by lawyers who are publicly funded. ' - Michael Mansfield QC.

' If last year was anything to go by, next year's audience is in for a treat, as well as the opportunity to acknowledge the work of those who do so much for so little reward.  ' - John Batt, solicitor to Sally Clark.

' The first awards generated much excitement. We at the LSC are delighted that this is to be repeated. The LALYs have our full support in recognising the best.  ' - Philip Ely, LSC chair.

Please click here to read the Independent Lawyer's report of the 2004 LALY awards ceremony.

Please click here to read the the report from the previous year (2003).