The finalists in the 2023 Leicestershire Law Society Awards have been announced.
The annual awards, which take place later this month, celebrate the best law firms and individuals working in the legal sector across the city and the county. The list of finalists was revealed at a shortlisting event which took place at Nelsons’ Provincial House offices, in New Walk, Leicester.
This years’ judges are: Sandra Pollock OBE of Open Mind Training & Development; Trusha Lakhani, a global council member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants; Tim Hillier, associate head of the De Montfort University Law School; Associate Professor Steve Evans of the University of Leicester Law School; Jamal Jeffers, a barrister at KCH Garden Square Chambers; District Judge Asjad; and Mattioli Woods wealth management consultant Andrew Goulter.
Leicestershire Law Society President Gina Samuel-Richards, who has organised the 2023 awards, said: “Meeting the shortlisted applicants and celebrating their success together in one room was a moving experience for me.
“I believe strongly in everyone having access to education and legal aid so it felt poignant to be surrounded by so many other compassionate and dedicated legal professionals.
“I’m really impressed by all the contenders for this year’s awards. The judges are certainly going to have a tough time choosing their winners.
“Whether they take home a trophy or not, I suspect we’ll be seeing a lot more of these firms and individuals over the coming years.”
The Leicestershire Law Society boasts more than 700 members made up of local practising lawyers.
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The annual awards will be held at 7pm on Friday, May 19, at Winstanley House, Leicester. This year’s theme – selected by the president – will be ‘Moroccan Nights’, with guests invited to wear either black tie or cultural attire.
The 2023 Leicestershire Law Society Awards finalists:
Barrister of the Year
Mr Andrew Horner
Mr Oliver Nunn
Chambers of the Year
2 New Street Chambers
KCH Garden Square
The 36 Group
Legal Executive of the Year
Ahmed Mangera
Lisa Franklin
Jenni Scothern
Solicitor of the Year
Emma Stanbanks
Priya Madhavji
Dav Mahet
Steven Mather
Joanna Carty
Rakesh Veja
Junior Solicitor of the Year
Kayleigh Brown
Harpreet Kashb
Matthew Jackson
Marcus Blakelock
Large Law Firm of the Year
Smith Partnership
Freeths
Small Law Firm of the Year
BP Legal
Johnson Astills
Affinity Law
Josiah Hincks
Thaliwal & Veja Solicitors
Support Staff Member of the Year
Hira Asif-Arslan
Madeline Ingall
Hannah Scothern
Jacqueline Graham
Mandy Bradbury
Trainee Paralegal
Fran Houston
Hira Asif
Sunit Mistry
Chloe Lake
Gina Samuel-Richards, who was admitted as a solicitor in August 2008, owns AGR Law, which has offices in Leicester and Nottingham.
As well as being a company director she is also a consultant and public speaker, a school governor, and an advisor on equal opportunity and health and safety matters.
She is an advisor to the board of a number of local charities where she advises on their legal obligations and assists with the development of policy. She has been a speaker at the University of Leicester on the issue of female genital mutilation and delivered legal lectures for local radio programmes.