Each year, Cardiff & District Law Society (CDLS) hosts a small yet impactful awards programme to recognise individuals and initiatives that reflect our values and projects (and those of the national Law Society of England and Wales) and enhance communities and the legal sector in Wales.

On 4 October 2024, we had the pleasure of announcing those that had been shortlisted and the winners of our Annual Awards, at our Annual Dinner at the Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff.

We assembled an array of excellent judges to participate in reviewing and debating the submissions from local firms and organisations for the winner of our Wellbeing Award, Rising Star, Legal Hero and EDI Initiative.

We also announced the winner of this year’s Simon Mumford Memorial Award.

The Annual Dinner was a fantastic evening that brought together members of our local legal community from paralegals to senior partners, HR professionals, Business Managers, Costs Lawyers, recruiters and many other organisations alike. This year’s Finalists & Winners are listed below, alongside information on each award:

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year 2024

This award recognises an initiative that has made a difference in cultivating a more diverse and inclusive workplace in the Welsh legal sector, and was sponsored Eversheds Sutherland.

The EDI award was judged by Tom Black, Partner at Eversheds Sutherland and former President of CDLS, District Judge Adem Muzzafer who has had a particular focus on EDI in the local judiciary, and Jennifer Feeney a Senior Manager for Medical and Dental Professional Governance at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

The judges straight away came up with their recommended shortlist of the following:

• Browne Jacobson LLP – for the FAIRE (Fairer Access into Real Experience) scheme run in conjunction with Welsh Government and its Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage network was a great way of ensuring that those from lower socio-economic and minority backgrounds can access the legal profession and will help address under-representation from certain groups.
• Blake Morgan LLP – the judges commented that this submission neatly demonstrated how Blake Morgan is seeking to improve education for all in terms of its early careers initiatives for primary and secondary age children, mentoring opportunities for further education or higher education students and connection with Llamau young learners to all learn more about the opportunities for working within the legal profession.
• LEDLET – The Lord Edmund-Davies Legal Education Trust – an independent charity which supports young people living in Wales or having a connection with Wales who are interested in entering the legal profession. Every year the charity hosts a summer scheme in London for up to 10 students to experience what a legal career may entail so they can make an informed choice.

EDI Initiative Award Winner 2024

LEDLET. The judges found the simple and effective mantra of this organisation in seeking to break down barriers truly inspiring and LEDLET is a worthy winner of the EDI Award.

Pictured on stage L-R: Tom Black, Eversheds Sutherland & CDLS Past President, Winner – Elisabeth Velina Jones, LEDLET‘s Cardiff Programme Co-ordinator, and Clare Good, CDLS President. 

Rising Star of the Year 2024

This Award celebrates a junior solicitor (NQ up to 3 Years PQE) that goes the extra mile to empower, support, inspire or develop other professionals in the legal sector, the next generation of lawyers. They may also excel in developing clients, service areas, legal knowledge and training, innovation or community work.

The award was sponsored by Chadwick Nott. The judges included Jenine Abdo, Partner Huttons Law and immediate past President of CDLS, Emma Lester, Legal Recruitment Consultant of Chadwick Nott, Jennifer Feeney, a Senior Manager for Medical and Dental Professional Governance at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and David Dixon, Retired former senior lecturer of Cardiff University’s Law School and former Solicitor.

The following were shortlisted for this award:

• Daniel Ellis Taylor, Blake Morgan LLP, was shortlisted for his great efforts in promoting the Welsh Language within his firm and collaborating with Welsh medium primary schools and the local legal sector. He was also noted for ensuring the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community are heard and seen.
• Aisling Beevers, Capital Law – was noted for her work with the JLD and events organising and contributing to her firm’s internal mental health and wellbeing committee.
• Fay Jones, Wendy Hopkins Family LawPractice, who was shortlisted due to her work with Cardiff University offering students work experience and assisting the next generation of lawyers, for promoting the Welsh language and providing pro-bono advice at her firm’s Llamau Clinic whereby legal advice is provided to vulnerable young people or women at risk of domestic abuse or through Cardiff Lawyers Care Homelessness Clinic.

Rising Star of the Year Award – Winner

Fay Jones, Wendy Hopkins Family Law Practice. Fay’s passion for her pro bono work and mentoring shone through in her submission and the judges all agreed she was a worthy winner.

Pictured on stage L-R: Emma Lester, Chadwick Nott, Winner – Fay Jones, Wendy Hopkins Law and Clare Good, CDLS President. 

Wellbeing Initiative of the Year 2024

This is an award to recognise a wellbeing initiative that has made a real change to those working within the legal sector in Cardiff andDistrict. The award this year was was sponsored by Yolk Recruitment.

There were a multitude of excellent judges on the panel for this award: District Judge Adem Muzzafer who has had a particular focus on EDI in the local judiciary, Maria Barton from the Solicitors Regulation Authority, Mike from the Mental Health Research UK group, Elizabeth Rimmer from Lawcare, Nicole Smith of Yolk Recruitment and Jennifer Feeney a Senior Manager for Medical and Dental Professional Governance at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

The shortlisted nominees were as follows:

• Emily Herrod, Trainee Solicitor at Capital Law, who impressed the judges with her implementation of the Mindful Monday in the office which enabled staff to get away from their desk and do something creative. A variety of fun and varied events were arranged such as, boxercise, pottery painting, cooking, drawing, sea swimming and scavenger hunts which also centredaround a mental health disorder such as eating disorders, neurodiversity or anxiety.
• Rebecca Galea, Solicitor at Endeavour Law Limited. The judges were in awe of Rebecca’s positivity and desire to entire the Race for Life at time when she had two young daughters and had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer – she had such a positive impact on others that many of her colleagues felt inspired to join her in running regularly which has become a running club within the firm.
• Newfields. The law firm’s approach to remove time recording and fee earning targets for fee earners and to trust advisors to undertake work at the pace deemed appropriate for their clients was regarded as truly innovative and focussed on staff wellbeing as it ensured better collaboration and enabled others to learn from each other without fearing the stress that can be caused by billing etc. An innovative 9-day fortnight was impressive too as this enabled staff to spend time with their younger family members.

Wellbeing Initiative of the Year 2024 – Winner

Newfields. It was clear to the judges that advisor wellbeing and client service was at the core of Newfields’ approach and for this they were the worthy award winner.

Pictured on stage L-R: Clare Good, CDLS President, Nicole Brown, Yolk Recruitment & Winners – Glyn Lloyd, Managing Partner and Sam Bass, Senir Associate, Newfields.

An award in recognition of someone who has made a big difference to the lives of others, their local communities and society over the last year. This person will be a solicitor or legal professional within the Cardiff area who stands out for making a difference to the lives of others, within their local community over the last year. The award was sponsored by Review Solicitors.

The judges for this award were: Tom Black, Partner at Eversheds Sutherland and former President of CDLS, David Dixon, Retired former senior lecturer of Cardiff University’s Law School and former Solicitor, Adam Hall, Head of Partnerships of Review Solicitors, and Karen Jones, Managing Director and Founder of TSR Legal recruitment.

The shortlisted candidates were as follows:

• Lisa Guscott Director at Watkins & Gunn – Lisa gained the judges attention due to establishing a Menopause network and sought to raise awareness within her firm and externally. Her courage in seeking to speak about her own personal journey, and developing Menopause champions and Menopause friendly accreditation using her employment expertise was also noted.
• Toni Lewis, Associate at Capital Law – Toni has worked with LEDLET students and talked about her experience of coming from a lower income background and being the first in her generation to go to University. Her work as a trustee for Cardiff Women’s Aid and her provision of domestic violence training at her firm to assist colleagues was also noted.
• Craig Court, Head of Public Law at Harding Evans – Craig’s passion for mental health work and representing those who had suffered a bereavement shone out in his submission and has led him to be an advocate for change. This has led him to launch a pro bono clinic to support the families of a Welsh children’s hospice Tŷ Hafan. The clinic, set up in partnership with LawWorks will allow families to access legal advice on welfare benefits, NHS decision regarding treatment, housing issues and challenges to Local Authority decisions.

Cardiff Legal Hero of the Year 2024

Craig Court, Head of Public Law at Harding Evans. The judges were unanimous that Craig was a worthy winner of this year’s Cardiff Legal Hero Award.

Pictured on stage L-R: Adam Hall, Review Solicitors, Clare Good, CDLS President and Winner – Craig Court, Head of Public Law, Harding Evans.

The Simon Mumford Memorial Award 2024

This prestigious award, established in 2015, is presented annually to a lawyer who works or resides (or has done) within the Law Society’s South Wales constituency area.

It is given in recognition of the recipient’s contribution to the Law and the legal profession.

Simon Mumford, originally from Narberth, Pembrokeshire, was President of Cardiff & District Law Society in 2005 and was also the society’s honorary secretary from 1987-97. He passed away in 2014 aged 59.

In 2014, Cardiff University law lecturer and CDLS Past President, David Dixon, said:

“Simon Mumford was a solicitor, teacher, soldier, advocate, broadcaster, sportsman, funny writer, friend, role model enthusiast and inspiration.”

Simon was a fierce campaigner on Legal Aid and access for justice, and equally as passionate about the local legal community. He volunteered for many years on CDLS and other legal sector committees.

Simon Mumford Memorial Award Winner 2024: Carolyn Kirby OBE

Carolyn Kirby OBE made history for women in law when she was elected the first woman president of the Law Society of England and Wales in 2002-2003.

Carolyn is a judge, President of the Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales since 1999. She was formerly a solicitor in private practice and has a long record of representative work on behalf of the legal profession. Carolyn has just retired as the Law Society Council member for Mid and West Wales, has chaired a number of specialist committees of the Law Society and is currently involved in a comprehensive review of its governance.

In 2002-2003 Carolyn became the first women to be elected President of the Law Society of England and Wales. In the 2016 New Years Honours list she was awarded the OBE for services to justice and to cancer care. She co-founded and chairs a charity, Cancer Information and Support Services (CISS) based in South West Wales, which provides counselling, support and advice to anyone affected by cancer. She holds a number of lay and quasi-legal roles in the Church in Wales and is a licensed lay worship leader. Carolyn has chaired a wide variety of boards and committees and takes a close interest in the ways in which effective relationships can be developed in different settings and the benefits which they bring to organisations.

This year’s annual, judges’ choice award was presented by Michael Walters, former CDLS Administrator and good friend to Simon Mumford. Unfortunately, Carolyn couldn’t join us on the night, but former Cardiff University lecturer, Richard Payne, (pictured below) accepted the award on her behalf.

Former recipients of the Simon Mumford Award include: Anne-Louise Ferguson MBE, Peter Davies, David Dixon, Richard Fisher and Frances Edwards.

Our congratulations to all our winners and finalists of this years’ awards, and our thanks to our judges and award sponsors!