Press Release

Specialist judges announced for the Junior Lawyers Division 10th Anniversary Pro Bono Awards

16 September 2008  

A team of esteemed judges has been enlisted by the Law Society Junior Lawyers Division  (JLD)  to select the winners of the JLD 10th Annual Pro Bono Awards.

The five highly respected judges are being announced today;  

Entries will be judged by a panel chaired by Kevin Poulter, a solicitor with Walker Morris.

• Dominic Grieve QC MP, Shadow Home Secretary & Shadow Attorney General and Member of Parliament for Beaconsfield, Shadow Home Secretary and Shadow Attorney General
• Kevin Poulter, Chair of the JLD Pro Bono Awards Committee
• Bob Heslett, Vice President of the Law Society  
• Jonathan Djanogly MP, Member of Parliament for Huntingdon  
• Michael Napier CBE, QC, Pro Bono Envoy to the Attorney General.
• Matthew Claxson, immediate past Chair of the Young Solicitors Group  
 
The awards celebrate the outstanding pro bono work undertaken by LPC students, trainee and newly admitted solicitors and qualified solicitors with up to 5 years experience.  They recognise individual pro bono activities and participation in team projects.    

The awards will be presented by Vera Baird QC, MP for Redcar and Solicitor General, and Dominic Grieve QC MP, both of whom will be delivering an address.

Dominic Grieve QC MP said, "I am delighted to be one of the Pro Bono Awards judges and to have the opportunity to recognise the outstanding contribution made by young lawyers through voluntary work ."

Kevin Poulter said, "An increasing number of innovative projects are being undertaken by junior lawyers both in the UK and internationally. Students and trainee solicitors are being encouraged at every opportunity to get involved in Pro Bono work and to give up a little of their free time to help local individuals and charities who would not otherwise have access to quality legal advice.  Together with law centres and citizens advice bureaux, these junior lawyers are reflecting the profession's proud tradition of carrying out voluntary work and giving free legal advice and assistance to those unable to afford it. It is important that we recognise the hard work which is being undertaken at the junior end of the profession and to promote this good practice across the country."  

Jonathan Djanogly MP said, “I am delighted to see the Law Society continuing to take such an active involvement in encouraging pro bono.  As this is such an important part of responsible business practice for the law fraternity, I am very happy to be joining the judging panel.”

Nominations will be judged in the following categories:  

• Solicitor - local projects (projects undertaken by a solicitor assisting individuals or groups based in the UK)
• Solicitor - international projects (projects undertaken by a solicitor assisting individuals or groups outside the UK)
• Solicitor - team (projects undertaken by a group of solicitors assisting individuals or groups whether based in the UK or abroad)
• Trainee (projects undertaken by an individual trainee or group of trainees, whether the project is based in the UK or abroad)
• Student (projects undertaken by an individual student or group of students, whether the project is based in the UK or abroad

Nomination forms are available at  www.lawsociety.org.uk/awards

The closing date for entries is Friday 19 September. The awards will be presented at a ceremony which will take place on 13 November, during National Pro Bono Week at the Law Society in London.  In addition to the JLD Pro Bono Awards, the Wig & Pen Prize for solicitors less than five years qualified working in the City, Westminster and Holborn areas of London will also be awarded.