Who? Matthew Howarth, 45, head of commercial litigation at Leeds firm Gordons.

Why is he in the news? Acted for the Plantagenet Alliance, which earlier this month won the right to judicially review decisions authorising the exhumation and reinterment of Richard III’s remains in Leicester – rather than in York, where it is claimed the king wanted to be buried.

The alliance, made up of 15 collateral descendants of the king, argued that the justice secretary failed to consult sufficiently or take into account the wishes of Richard III’s descendants when issuing the licence to exhume and reinter his body.

Such a failure was unlawful and a breach of article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the alliance argued.

Mr Justice Haddon-Cave, sitting at the High Court, agreed that there was a case to answer. The judicial review is expected to take place in London later this year.

The king’s skeletal remains were found beneath a Leicester car park earlier this year.

Thoughts on the case: ‘The Ministry of Justice and Leicester University were dismissive of the case throughout, and yet the judge found for us on all grounds. He also granted our impecunious clients a protective costs order. It is a stunning result, particularly in the context of government plans to curtail access to judicial reviews.’

Route to the case: ‘The alliance had approached one of our charity clients for funding and the charity recommended us.’

Why become a lawyer? ‘Most of all because I love winning, although I also enjoy the intellectual challenge of the law and meeting different people.’

Career high: ‘It was another judicial review matter where our client faced losing their long-established right to use their moorland for grouse shooting.’

Career low: ‘I must be very boring, but I really can’t think of one. Every day is a new challenge.’