Last week’s Yorkshire Legal Awards at New Dock Hall in Leeds was predictably glam, though never gaudy. Admittedly, by the 24th award of the evening enthusiasm had started to wane a tad, but that is mere quibbling.

Winners were under strict instructions not to make any speeches, but that never stops anyone does it? One excited solicitor grabbed the microphone to tell the 1,000-plus assemblage exactly what he thought of home secretary Suella Braverman (in terms not suitable for repetition in a sober organ like the Gazette).

Obiter particularly enjoyed the exuberance of host Helen Skelton (pictured, below), who urged those who did not win to manifest their annoyance. She brought the house down by praising one high-profile local divorce outfit, the identity of which you may not struggle to guess. ‘If you had been my lawyers in the last couple of years, I wouldn’t have to do this on a Thursday night,’ Skelton told the firm in question.

Yorkshire must be the biggest of all the annual legal awards. You could host it in a stadium – and indeed next year, they will. The 2024 Yorkshire Legal Awards will be held at Leeds’ First Direct Arena (capacity 13,781). Here’s hoping it’s a sellout.

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