The University of South Wales Legal Advice Clinic won the 2023 LawWorks Cymru award, after a decade of offering pro bono legal advice to communities in Wales.
The Clinic, run by the university, students and supported by the legal profession, won the LawWorks Cymru Award 2023 at last night’s LawWorks Pro Bono Awards ceremony, hosted at The Law Society in Chancery Lane, London.
Hannah Menard, Director of Legal & Finance Clinic at the University of South Wales, said:
“We are so pleased to have won this award in what is our 10th year of offering pro bono legal advice at the University of South Wales Legal Advice Clinic. It is testament to the hard work of our students, staff and external supporting partners – without them none of this would be possible. Thank you to the University for supporting the work of the clinic in the community, and we are looking forward to the next 10 years of impact!”
The LawWorks Pro Bono Awards aim to recognise and celebrate the pro bono commitment of LawWorks members, their charity and corporate partners, and the work of independent clinics in the LawWorks clinics network.
Winners were chosen in ten categories, each representing the breadth and range of pro bono across England and Wales and internationally – by individuals, firms, in-house teams, law schools and law students, supported by charities, advice agencies, law centres and many non-legal volunteers.
Rebecca Wilkinson, the Chief Executive of LawWorks, said:
“A huge congratulations to the winners and all those who were shortlisted – all deserve recognition and celebration of the difference they make in enabling access to justice.
“There is a reason the LawWorks Annual Awards are the highlight of our year; hearing the impact pro bono work makes on people’s lives continues to reaffirm our commitment to developing and supporting solicitors pro bono work within the access to justice ecosystem. We are so proud of the work of our member organisations, and the individual solicitors within them, who give up their time to help others.”
The winners of the 2023 LawWorks Pro Bono Awards are:
- Best Contribution by a Small or Medium Firm: Pallas Partners LLP
- Best Contribution by a Large Firm: Reed Smith LLP
- Best Contribution by an In-house Team or Solicitor: The Financial Conduct Authority Pro Bono Group, Financial Conduct Authority
- Best Contribution by a Junior Lawyer: Alessandro Angelico, Covington & Burling
- Best Contribution by an Individual: Naga Kandiah, MTC Solicitors
- The LawWorks Cymru Award: University of South Wales Legal Advice Clinic, University of South Wales
- Best Contribution by a Pro Bono Clinic: Kent Law Clinic, University of Kent
- Best International Pro Bono Award in partnership with A4ID: Rule 39 Pro Bono Initiative
- Best New Pro Bono Activity: Islamophobia Response Unit
- Most Effective Pro Bono Partnership: Green Tech Legal Collaborative
The judging panel for the 2023 Pro Bono awards were:
- Richard Atkinson, Vice President of The Law Society of England and Wales
- Yasmin Batliwala, Chief Executive of Advocates for International Development
- Julie Bishop, Director of the Law Centres Network
- Chris Minnoch, Director of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group
- Professor Richard Owen, Chair of the Law Society’s Access to Justice Committee
- Paul Rogerson, Editor of the Law Society Gazette
- Rebecca Wilkie, Chief Executive of Advocate
More information
To view the work of the University of South Wales Legal Advice Clinic and to get involved, click here.
For further information on the LawWorks Pro Bono Awards, including those shortlisted and the winners, view the 2023 LawWorks Pro Bono Awards programme.
