Cardiff Law School and City giant Dechert featured among the winners of this year’s LawWorks Annual Pro Bono Awards, announced this week. They won in the respective categories of best contribution by a pro bono clinic, and the new category of best international pro bono award (jointly with Advocates for International Development).

The awards recognise the pro bono commitment of LawWorks members, their charity and corporate partners, and the work of independent clinics in the LawWorks clinics network. 

Lady Hale, president of the Supreme Court, presented the awards before 260 finalists and guests at the Law Society on Wednesday night. 

The full list of winners is:

  • Best contribution by a small firm - Emma Williams Family Law
  • Best Contribution by a Medium Firm - Morrison & Foerster
  • Best Contribution by a Large Firm - Howard Kennedy
  • Best contribution by an in-house team - Visa
  • Best contribution by an individual - Andrew Lidbetter, Herbert Smith Freehills
  • Junior Lawyers Division Pro Bono Award - Imene Hamdi-Cherif, Ashurst
  • LawWorks Cymru Award - University of South Wales Legal Advice Clinic
  • Best International Pro Bono Award - Dechert
  • Best contribution by a pro bono clinic - Cardiff Law School Pro Bono Clinic
  • Best New Pro Bono Activity - BID Exceptional Case Funding Project with Bail for Immigration Detainees, Ashurst, Debevoise & Plimpton, Dechert and Orrick
  • Most Effective Pro Bono Partnership - Mencap Legal Network Pro Bono Programme.

The judging panel for the 2019 comprised Amy Clowrey, chair of the Junior Lawyers Division; Andrea Coomber, director, JUSTICE; Ruth Daniel, chief executive, Access to Justice Foundation; Simon Davis, president of the Law Society; Jeremy Miles AM, counsel general for Wales and Brexit Minister; Chris Minnoch, chief executive, Legal Aid Practitioners Group; Paul Rogerson, Editor-in-chief, Law Society Gazette; Adam Tear, chair of the Solicitors’ Association of Higher Court Advocates; and Linden Thomas, President, Birmingham Law Society.