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LAPG’s 2021 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards Nominations Open

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The 2021 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year (LALY) awards have been launched by the Legal Aid Practitioners Group, with awards in 12 categories to be won.

Nominations for this year’s awards close on 19 April, with a new award category added for Disability Rights. Winners are to be announced on 6 July at a virtual ceremony broadcast online. Accesspoint are proud to be sponsoring this year’s Legal Aid Team award.

LAPG CEO Chris Minnoch says:

‘The pandemic has had a devastating impact on the people and communities that legal aid lawyers serve. The last year has taken a terrible toll on practitioners and their hard-working colleagues. Every one of them has faced unprecedented challenges – emotionally, practically, and financially. And there is no immediate end in sight. If ever there isa time to acknowledge and celebrate the vital work of those on the social justice frontline, it is this year. I have never been more proud to be part of the legal aid community -nor more angry at the lack of recognition and respect they receive from this and previous governments. LAPG is working to change that on many fronts -and I would urge politicians of all stripes to tune into the LALY21 ceremony on 6 July to hear the true story of legal aid, and of the unsung heroes of access to justice, whose work changes live on a daily basis.”

The 2021 LALY awards were officially launched at LAPG’s first ever virtual annual conference, at an event hosted by legal affairs journalist and LALY founder Fiona Bawdon, and shadow justice secretary David Lammy MP. Speaking at the live event, which he attended by Zoom, David Lammy said of the importance of legal aid:
“The ability to access justice, regardless of class, creed, background, income, is the bedrock of a fair and just society.”
Following the success of last year’s ‘Lockdown LALYs’. All LALY nominations must be submitted online. Watch the LALY launch film here.

LALY21 award categories and sponsors

  1. Legal Aid Newcomer –CILEx
  2. Legal Aid Team –Accesspoint
  3. Disability Rights –Bidwell Henderson
  4. Family Legal Aid –Resolution
  5. Criminal Defence –Doughty Street Chambers
  6. LegalAid Barrister –The Bar Council
  7. Legal Aid Firm/Not-for-profit Agency –The Law Society
  8. Housing Law –One Pump Court
  9. Regional Legal Aid Firm/Not-for-Profit Agency –The Legal Education Foundation
  10. SocialWelfare –Garden Court Chambers
  11. Public Law –DG Legal
  12. Outstanding Achievement –Matrix Law
Media partner – Legal Action Group
General sponsors – TV Edwards Solicitors; Anthony GoldSolicitors
The LALY awards are non-profit-making, and only made possible thanks to its sponsors. Follow the LALYs on Twitter #LALY21 and Facebook.