Press Release: Student Pro Bono Awards shortlist announced

LawWorks is pleased to announce the shortlist of nominees for the 2020 LawWorks and Attorney General’s Student Pro Bono Awards, kindly sponsored by Lexis Nexis.

LawWorks is pleased to announce the shortlist of nominees for the 2020 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 winners of the Advocate and LawWorks Law School Challenge 2019 – 2020 are also recognised.

During these unprecedented times there will not be an Awards ceremony, but a thank you event and celebration will be hosted later in the year. The Award winners will be announced on May 13th.

The Attorney General, the Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC MP said:

“It is fantastic to see so many students across the UK working hard to give back to their communities by providing pro bono advice to those in need, and I want to congratulate you on your efforts. While the awards event is being postponed, your work is still absolutely recognised and I thank you for it.”

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

“LexisNexis are delighted to be sponsoring these awards. Our heartfelt congratulations to all those nominated and shortlisted; we look forward to celebrating with you later on in the year.  The standard of entries this year was incredibly high and is a reflection of the impressive, innovative and vital pro bono work being delivered across the country by students and Law Schools.” 

Below is a list of the shortlisted nominees:

Best new pro bono activity

  • Birmingham City University Welfare Benefits Clinic, Birmingham City University
  • Legal Advice Centre, University of Bolton
  • University of Bristol Law Clinic Inquest Team, University of Bristol Law Clinic
  • Hertfordshire Law Clinic, Hertfordshire Law School

Best contribution by an individual

  • Sartaz Billing, Hertfordshire Law School

  • Jade Hunt, University of Essex

  • Genevieve Pilaprat-Douglas, University of York

  • Francesca Shellard, Nottingham Trent University

Best contribution by a law school

  • Anglia Ruskin University Law Clinic, Anglia Ruskin University
  • BPP University
  • School of Law, University of Leeds
  • Liverpool Law Clinic, University of Liverpool
  • Nottingham Law School Legal Advice Centre, Nottingham Trent University
  • University of South Wales Law School, University of South Wales

Best contribution by a team of students

  • Enterprise Clinic Student Director Team, BPP University
  • King’s & Z2K project King’s Legal Clinic, King’s College London
  • Plymouth Law Clinic and Red Cross partnership, British Red Cross and University of Plymouth
  • Streetlaw in the Manchester Employment Tribunal, University of Salford and BPP University
  • The Refugee Law Clinic, Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice at Sheffield Hallam University
  • Initial Advice Clinics, University of Strathclyde Law Clinic

Access to Justice Foundation award

Those shortlisted for the Access to Justice Foundation award for an educational body or student making a significant contribution to promoting access to justice are:

  • University of Manchester Pro Bono Society
  • Plymouth Law Clinic

This year's top three teams of the Law School Challenge are:

  1. London School of Economics
  2. University of Exeter
  3. University of Leeds

The judges for the 2020 Awards are:

  • Peter Farr, Head of Civil Law Policy, Ministry of Justice;
  • David Greene, Vice President, the Law Society of England and Wales;
  • 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.

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 and the nominees, 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: https://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
  5. Join the student pro bono conversation on social media #studentprobono #StudentAwards2020

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