After the success of the 2020 ‘Lockdown LALYs’ the 2021 LALY awards are now in full swing as we build up to this year’s virtual ceremony on the evening of the 6th of July. Nominations are open until the 19th of April, after which this year’s judging panel will have the difficult task of selecting the finalists and winners across the 12 award categories from what promises to be another exceptional crop of nominations.
With that in mind we are delighted to announce the members of this year’s judging panel:
- Noel Arnold – District Tribunal Judge of the First Tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber) and former children’s rights solicitor; LALY winner in 2015
- Marcia Willis-Stewart QC (Hon); public lawyer; managing partner, Birnberg Peirce; LALY winner in 2015 (chair of the LALY21 judging panel)
- Malvika Jaganmohan – family barrister, St Ives Chambers; former committee member, Young Legal Aid Lawyers; mental health campaigner and blogger
- Anthony Graham – criminal defence solicitor; director, Amosu Robinshaw Solicitors; higher courts advocate; member of Black Solicitors Network
- James Stark – housing barrister; Garden Court North; LALY winner in 2020
- Jenny Beck – family solicitor; co-founder, Beck Fitzgerald; recently announced as a QC (Hon); LAPG co-chair; LALY winner in 2006
- Fiona Bawdon – LALY founder and organiser; legal affairs journalist and social justice campaigner
- Kaweh Beheshtizadeh – immigration solicitor; consultant, Fadiga & Co; LALY winner in 2017
- Douglas Johnson – discrimination lawyer; formerly Sheffield Citizens Advice & Law Centre; now independent consultant; LALY winner in 2014
We are looking forward to another uplifting and inspiring celebration of the incredible skill, commitment and positive impact of legal aid lawyers.
Watch our LALY21 launch film here
To nominate an organisation, team, peer or colleague for a LALY, please use the official online nomination form and refer to our detailed guidance on how to make a nomination and the qualifying criteria for each category. Please note that we do not accept nominations for the Outstanding Achievement award.