Four Welsh Pro Bono initiatives and law clinics have been shortlisted in the LawWorks Pro Bono Awards 2021, founded by LawWorks (the Solicitors Pro Bono Group).
The awards recognise and celebrate achievements in legal pro bono work, undertaken by organisations and individuals, and the commitment of the legal sector in enabling access to justice. The finalists represent the breadth and range of pro bono activity undertaken by LawWorks members, pro bono clinics and many others across England and Wales.
There are nine awards in total, including the LawWorks Cymru Award; four law clinics in Wales have been shortlisted for the latter award, including an initiative led by Cardiff & District Law Society. Those shortlisted for the LawWorks Cymru award are:
- Aberystwyth University Family Law Clinic
- Cardiff Lawyers Care Advice Clinic (run by Cardiff & District Law Society)
- Duncan Lewis Solicitors
- University of South Wales Legal Advice Clinic
The University of South Wales Legal Advice Clinic has also been shortlisted for the ‘Best Contribution by a Pro Bono Clinic’ award.
Commenting on the awards shortlist, Alasdair Douglas, the Chair of LawWorks, said:
“Congratulations to all those shortlisted. We received a high number of inspiring nominations, highlighting the breadth, depth and impact of pro bono. I would like to thank all those who were nominated and also the judges for giving their time and working so hard to choose the shortlist and winners.
These Awards acknowledge and celebrate the commitment of law firms, from their senior management to their trainees and administrative staff, and others who volunteer their time and expertise to improve the lives of others.”
The winners will be announced at an event at the Law Society, Chancery Lane, London on 7 December and the event will also be live-streamed. The guest speaker for the awards is the Rt Hon Harriet Harman MP QC, a solicitor, a former Solicitor General, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the House of Commons, and currently Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights.
The judging panel for the 2021 Pro Bono awards comprised:
- Manda Banerji, Chair of the Law Society’s Junior Lawyers Division
- Yasmin Batliwala, Chief Executive of Advocates for International Development
- Clare Carter, Joint Chief Executive of the Access to Justice Foundation
- Chris Minnoch, Director of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group
- Paul Rogerson, Editor of the Law Society Gazette
The shortlist in full:
Best Contribution by a Small or Medium Firm
- Emma Williams Family Law
- Kobre & Kim
- Nottingham Law School Legal Advice Centre
Best Contribution by a Large Firm
- Bates Wells
- Dechert
- DLA Piper
- Irwin Mitchell
- Sidley Austin
- Travers Smith
Best Contribution by an Individual
- Simon Bruce, Dads House Family Law Clinic
- Jonathan Gilmour, Travers Smith
- Naga Kandiah, MTC Solicitors
- Rachel Mathieson, Bates Wells
- Louise McCarthy, Sidley Austin
- Emine Mehmet, Duncan Lewis Solicitors
- Charles Wynn-Evans, Dechert
Junior Lawyers Division Pro Bono Award
- Jonathan Andrews, Reed Smith
- Lucy Clifford, Travers Smith
- Hemna Fargi, Duncan Lewis Solicitors
- Natasha Hunter Jones, Baker McKenzie
- Lucy Scaramuzza, Baker McKenzie
- Liljana Shehaj, Duncan Lewis Solicitors
- Lucy Winnington-Ingram, Reed Smith
The LawWorks Cymru Award
- Aberystwyth University Family Law Clinic
- Cardiff Lawyers Care Advice Clinic
- Duncan Lewis Solicitors
- University of South Wales Legal Advice Clinic
Best Contribution by a Pro Bono Clinic
- Anglia Ruskin University Law Clinic
- BPP University Legal Advice Clinic
- Dads House Family Law Clinic
- The Student Legal Advice Centre, University of Derby
- University of South Wales Legal Advice Clinic
- Whitechapel Legal Advice Clinic
Best International Pro Bono Award
- Clifford Chance
- DLA Piper
Best New Pro Bono Activity
- Charity Registration Pilot Project: Bates Wells, Morgan Lewis and Reed Smith
- EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS): Coram Children’s Legal Centre and Linklaters
- Housing Advocacy and Access to Legal Advice Project, University of Chester
- Maternity Action Pro Bono Partnership
- “People Like Us – Know Your Rights”: Toynbee Hall’s Free Legal Advice Centre with Allen & Overy, Bank of New York Mellon, Bloomberg, Cleary Gottlieb Steen and Hamilton, Duncan Lewis and Howard Kennedy
- Pro Bono Intellectual Property Service, Nottingham Law School Legal Advice Centre
Most Effective Pro Bono Partnership
- Afghanistan Assistance Programme: Ashurst, Reed Smith and Safe Passage
- Asylum Aid with Akin Gump, Ashurst, Cooley, Dentons, Freshfields, Latham & Watkins, Morrison & Foerster, O’Melveny, Orrick, Reed Smith, Skadden and White & Case
- Bloomberg EMEA Legal and Compliance Department, Ropes & Gray, Simmons & Simmons and Willkie Farr & Gallagher
- Equally Ours and Herbert Smith Freehills
- Pre-action Protocol Project Partnership with DLA Piper, Deighton Pierce Glynn, Care4Calais and Human for Rights Network
- Windrush Compensation Scheme: United Legal Access, Ashurst and Ropes & Gray
- ZEUSS Project: Praxis, Akin Gump, Baker McKenzie, Clyde & Co, DAC Beachcroft, Mishcon de Reya, Orrick, Simmons & Simmons and Skadden
For more information on the awards and to register for the event, please visit: lawworks.org.uk/awards
