The winners of the seventh National Paralegal Awards have been announced at the annual event hosted and organised by CILEx.
Holly Hale, an Employment Law Paralegal at Watkins & Gunn was named Paralegal of the Year in Wales – the only Welsh winner at the awards which celebrate the best of the UK’s paralegal talent. Holly was also a finalist for the National Paralegal of the Year award.
Now in its seventh year and hosted by CILEX, theNational Paralegal Awards recognised 14 individuals and three businesses at Birmingham’s Burlington Hotel on Thursday 18 September, including Paralegal of the Year Award 2025, given to Sophie Wells, a childcare law paralegal at Reading Borough Council.
Clive Thomas, Managing Director at Watkins & Gunn, praised Holly for her ‘richly deserved recognition as CILEX Paralegal of the Year (Wales), along with her commendation for National Paralegal of the Year’. He said:
“Holly’s journey into law through CILEX is a powerful example of resilience, talent, and the value of alternative legal pathways. She is a role model to anyone who may feel unsure about their route into the profession – proof that with determination and the right support, excellence is within reach.
“Her title may be Paralegal, but it doesn’t begin to reflect the depth of her experience, knowledge and technical expertise in her chosen field of employment law. Her exceptional client care skills and organisational brilliance are a lesson to all.”
Holly is Watkins & Gunn’s Pro Bono Champion and will shortly become a Fellow of CILEx.
Reflecting on the awards, Holly said:
“It was a truly magical evening. I’d like to thank my amazing team at Watkins and Gunn Solicitors for their constant support, and CILEX for giving me a route into law when I wasn’t sure one existed for someone like me.
“This award means so much more than a title—it’s a reminder of how far I’ve come, and how much more there is ahead. I hope to soon qualify as a Fellow of CILEX and continue progressing my career as a specialist employment lawyer at Watkins & Gunn.”
She added that the evening ‘showcased the value of CILEX and the wonderful lawyers it has enabled to enter the profession’.
The 2025 award winners were:
- Paralegal of the Year – Wales: Holly Hale, Watkins & Gunn
- Paralegal of the Year – South: Sharon Baker, Mowll & Mowll
- Paralegal of the Year – Midlands/North: Billie Spooner, Irwin Mitchell
- Best Paralegal Apprentice: Eleanor Webster, Wilkin Chapman Rollits
- Best Law Firm – Paralegal Development: Murgitroyd
- Best Legal Professional Supplier: Pro-Gen Research
- Best Conveyancing/Real Estate Paralegal: Elsa Ghossan, Dentons UK & Middle East
- Best Family Law Paralegal: Sophie Payne, Invicta Law
- Best Intellectual Property Paralegal: Annemarie Parsons, Murgitroyd
- Best Newcomer/Young Practitioner: Sophie Francis, Branch Austin McCormick
- Best Probate Research Paralegal: Claire Larkin Miller, Langton Genealogy
- Best Will Writing Paralegal: Sharon Baker, Mowll & Mowll
- Best In-House Paralegal: JoAnna Emery, atai Life Sciences
- Best Public Sector Paralegal: Rachael Newton, Met Office
- Community Champion: Sophie Palk, Tozers
Jennifer Coupland, CEO of CILEX, remarked:
“In every area of the legal sector, paralegals are making a powerful impact. They are the driving force behind so much of the profession’s success, providing access to justice, supporting clients through challenging times and bringing expertise, dedication and innovation to the delivery of legal services.
“The awards present an opportunity to celebrate exceptional paralegals who, like National Paralegal of the Year award winner Sophie Wells and our other finalists, are demonstrating talent, commitment and professionalism.”
Legal News Wales is a proud partner to the National Paralegal Awards 2025.
For further information on the awards, click here.
