Press release: Student Pro Bono Awards shortlist announced

LawWorks is pleased to announce the shortlist for the 2021 LawWorks and Attorney General’s Student Pro Bono Awards, kindly sponsored by Lexis Nexis.

For immediate release: 2.00pm on Tuesday 20th April

LawWorks is pleased to announce the shortlist for the 2021 LawWorks and Attorney General’s Student Pro Bono Awards, kindly sponsored by Lexis Nexis.

The awards celebrate the best pro bono activities undertaken by law students and law schools. They incorporate the Access to Justice Foundation award for an educational body or student which has made a significant contribution to promoting access to justice. The Award winners will be announced at a remote awards ceremony on May 12th with the Attorney General, the Rt Hon. Michal Ellis QC MP.

Alasdair Douglas, Chair of LawWorks said:

“Congratulations to all those shortlisted for the LawWorks and Attorney General Student Pro Bono Awards - it's been clear from the large number of nominations that, despite the pandemic, pro bono initiatives are thriving at UK law schools. I'd like to thank the judges for their time - choosing from so many excellent and high-quality nominations is a difficult task. Butut, above all, thank you to all those nominated for their commitment to helping those in need of legal support."

James Harper, Executive Sponsor for Rule of Law and CSR at LexisNexis, said:

“LexisNexis is incredibly proud to sponsor the LawWorks and Attorney General Student Pro Bono Awards, now in their 15th year.  The Rule of Law is at the heart of everything we do – it is in our content, in our software and efficiency tools, and in the work we do across the legal community.  These awards demonstrate and highlight the importance that students around the country also place on the Rule of Law, with a commitment to supporting access to justice that is inspiring.  We congratulate all those nominated and shortlisted for their valuable contributions and we are honoured to support the innovative and vital pro bono work they deliver.” 

The shortlisted nominees are:

Best Contribution by a Team of Students

  • Streetlaw Online Student Team, BPP University Law School Pro Bono Centre
  • Cardiff Innocence Project Student Team Leaders, Cardiff University
  • Talking Legal Student Society Committee, University of Law (Nottingham)
  • The Family Law Clinic team, University of Plymouth Law Clinic
  • Initial Advice Clinic, University of Strathclyde Law Clinic

Best New Pro Bono Activity

  • Legal Advice Centre, University of Bolton
  • Dads House Legal Clinic
  • King's IP Clinic, King's Legal Clinic, King's College London
  • The Protea Clinic, King's Legal Clinic, King's College London
  • The Justice Hub Virtual Vacation Scheme, The University of Manchester
  • Midlands Employment Rights Advice Line, University of Law
  • University of London Refugee Law Clinic
  • Staffordshire University Legal Advice Centre, Staffordshire University

Best Contribution by an Individual

  • Molly Brown, Nottingham Trent University
  • Sonia Gandhi, University of Leicester
  • Natasha Godsiff, University of Cambridge
  • Amanda Ignatia, Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London
  • Annabel Pike, University of Essex

Best Contribution by a Law School

  • Aston Law Clinic, Aston University
  • Hertfordshire Law School
  • University of Law
  • Nottingham Law School Legal Advice Centre, Nottingham Trent University
  • University of Plymouth Law Clinic
  • Refugee Rights Hub, Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice at Sheffield Hallam University
  • UCL Centre for Access to Justice
  • Ulster University Law Clinic

Access to Justice Foundation Award

The Access to Justice Foundation award for an educational body or student making a significant contribution will also be announced on May 12th; the shortlist is:

  • Bangor Law School

  • Cambridge University Law Society (Pro Bono Department)
  • School of Law, University of Leeds
  • Pro Bono Centre, BPP University
  • Pro Bono Team, University of Law
  • University of Plymouth Law Clinic
  • Ulster University Law Clinic

The judges for the 2021 Awards are:

  • Simon Davis, former President the Law Society of England and Wales;
  • Peter Farr, Head of Civil Law Policy, Ministry of Justice;
  • James Harper, Executive Sponsor, Rule of Law and CSR for LexisNexis UK & Ireland;
  • Joshua Richman, Senior Editor, LawCareers.Net;
  • Leanne Targett-Parker, Chair, Bar Council Pro Bono Committee;
  • Rohini Teather, Head of Parliamentary Affairs, Legal Aid Practitioners Group.

LawWorks would like to congratulate all shortlisted nominees and everyone who submitted nominations. LawWorks would also like to thank the judges for their hard work in drawing up the shortlist from a very impressive list of nominations, and Lexis Nexis for their sponsorship of the Awards

For further information on the Student Pro Bono Awards, please visit: www.lawworks.org.uk/student-awards

-Ends-

Notes to editors:

  1. LawWorks (the Solicitors Pro Bono Group) is a charity working in England and Wales to connect volunteer lawyers and law students with people in need of legal advice, who are not eligible for legal aid and cannot afford to pay, and with the not for profit organisations that support them and their communities. LawWorks supports a network of independent pro bono advice clinics across England and Wales, and facilitates the provision of free legal advice for smaller charities and not-for-profit organisations. For further information about LawWorks visit: www.lawworks.org.uk
  2. LawWorks is supported by the Law Society of England and Wales, the independent professional body for solicitors.
  3. LawWorks are extremely grateful for the sponsorship of the awards by LexisNexis Legal & Professional. LexisNexis Legal & Professional is a leading global provider of legal, regulatory and business information and analytics that help customers increase productivity, improve decision-making and outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 130 countries with 10,000 employees worldwide, is part of RELX Group, a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries.
  4. For further information about the Awards contact James Sandbach, Director of Policy and External Affairs, james.sandbach@lawworks.org.uk 07508327606

Join the student pro bono conversation on social media #WeDoProBono #StudentAwards2021

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