David is head of Switalskis’ child abuse team, and has worked on behalf of victims since 1998. His work is specialist and relates to historic abuse and the failure of institutions to protect children in their care, including local authorities and the church. He is an energetic campaigner and chairperson of Stop Church Child Abuse.

Charlotte was lead solicitor on the judicial review that led to an independent review into the deaths of 18–24 year olds in custody. She won an investigation into the death of Connor Sparrowhawk, a young man with autism and epilepsy, who drowned in the bath while detained at a psychiatric unit, which concluded that his death was preventable.

Anna is known for her prison death cases. She is convener of the Inquest Lawyers Steering Group and recognised as an expert in her field. One mother whose son died in custody wrote: ‘I had great difficulty obtaining funding, but Anna fought tirelessly on our behalf. The inquest was harrowing but Anna was a tower of strength.’

Maud conducts complex and difficult care cases, invariably on behalf of the child. A higher rights advocate, she undertakes her own advocacy. One supporter says: ‘Under that calm, unassuming manner, is a cool analytical mind, which is usually two steps ahead of everyone else in seeing what should be done and what is possible.’

Hilka is a relative newcomer, but has already established an enviable reputation as a pragmatic, resourceful and knowledgeable lawyer in the complex field of adoptions. She always goes the extra mile and is tenacious in looking for solutions. A High Court judge recently said she should win ‘the plum for the best prepared case this year’.

Cris is a one-woman powerhouse in family law. Recognised as an expert in her field, she is equally well respected for her campaigning work, particularly in the field of domestic violence. She is on a string of specialist advisory groups and lobbied tirelessly over the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Bill, arguing for less restrictive rules around proof of domestic violence.

Caroline has worked exclusively as a mediator since 2006, having conducted an estimated 1,500 mediation meetings during that period, according to one of her supporters. She is robust, focused and practical, as well as being warm, positive and non-judgmental.

Sue has 30 years’ experience in family legal aid. She is innovative and committed, and works hard to help ensure a family break-up is as stress-free as possible.

John is an institution in housing law. His knowledge is encyclopedic, and his dedication to his clients, limitless. One supporter says he should be made not just housing lawyer of the year, ‘but of the decade’; another writes that his combination of knowledge and skills means he secures for clients ‘the kind of results that leave his fellow specialists in awe’.

Vivien is widely respected by tenant housing lawyers for her ability and energy. She is a former chairperson of the Housing Law Practitioners Association, and remains on its executive committee. She is described as ‘tactically astute and completely committed to her clients’.

Jane has a clear knowledge of the law and an uncanny knack of pinpointing cases where the law can and should be developed. She is not afraid to speak up in the media to draw attention to issues of concern, and her nomination is supported by lawyers, journalists, and a police officer who worked with Jane on housing and domestic violence issues.

Mark is described as having unrivalled success against the Home Office, securing compensation for hundreds of people wrongly detained within the immigration system. He secured a landmark unlawful killing verdict at the inquest into the death of Jimmy Mubenga, who died after being restrained by escorts as he was being deported to Angola.

Solange has been at the legal aid coalface, in private practice and Law Centres, for 15 years. She is praised for her dedication to vulnerable groups, including undocumented children, and for her remarkable work in keeping practitioners up to date with changes that affect every aspect of the delivery of publicly funded work. (See page 11 of this issue.)

Carita is as passionate as she is dedicated, and will take cases all the way, if needed. She combines a heavy caseload with a commitment to campaigning on legal aid issues generally, and is co-ordinator of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association legal aid subcommittee.

Sean’s nomination highlights the difficulties of acting on legal aid for a client whose interests conflict with those of a privately represented defendant, with far greater resources at his disposal. Rather than being outgunned, Sean always ensures his clients are not disadvantaged and leaves no stone unturned on their behalf.

Although still young in practice, Nick is making a name for himself defending in protest cases, involving human rights, freedom of expression or assembly arguments. He is described as ‘a stellar legal aid lawyer’, capable of instilling a sense of confidence in his clients.

Mike played a key role in exposing misconduct by undercover police officers and winning a groundbreaking public inquiry into their activities. Over three years, he has acted for 70 clients, and succeeded in quashing 50 convictions, where the role of undercover police was not revealed to the court. He is always ‘irresistibly reasonable and carefully balanced’.

Jess is fiercely committed to Court of Protection work, and is a strong advocate for people facing welfare and community care issues. She writes and speaks on these issues, and provides training to third-sector workers, so they can better support vulnerable clients.

Douglas came to the law after being made redundant from a career in shipyard engineering. Engineering’s loss was the law’s gain, and he has rapidly established a reputation in his chosen field of discrimination law. He is knowledgeable, proactive, tenacious and strategic.

Adrian is head of his firm’s mental health team. He has achieved spectacular results by listening properly to clients, including a young man, detained as delusional in relation to his father. Adrian was alone among the professionals involved in investigating whether what the client was saying was actually true – and the client was released.

Camilla specialises in actions against the police, challenges to unlawful detention and asylum claims, and is a hard-working member of Young Legal Aid Lawyers, where she has taken a lead in promoting social mobility. Her clients love her. One says: ‘When I think of what’s happened, first I thank God, and then I thank Camilla.’

Clair acts for bereaved families at inquests and is responsible for her firm’s trainee solicitor mentoring scheme. She is active in INQUEST, helping amass evidence of problems with the LASPO Act exceptional funding provisions. The mother of a soldier who died in Iraq says: ‘I don’t know what I would have done without you.’

Since joining the Bar from a career in international human rights, Lucy has developed a busy and successful practice in immigration, asylum, prison and public law. One client says she ‘is very, very, very nice’. Adding: ‘She was like a star in the sky in the desert when the traveller cannot find his way and the star guides him to the safe side.’

Martha’s already successful legal career has gone from strength to strength since leaving the Public Law Project to join Doughty Street, where she acts for vulnerable clients. She has been involved in a string of significant cases, but also remains firmly rooted at the legal aid coalface, undertaking inquests and parole hearings. She is approachable and easy to work with.

Chelvan is known as a lawyer, academic and activist, who has been at the forefront of litigation to protect the rights of asylumseekers, particularly those who are gay or transgender, for the last decade. He was involved in the groundbreaking case of SB (Uganda) v Home Office, which changed the legal landscape. Despite his obvious talent, he remains equally committed to doing first-tier work.

Stephen specialises in Traveller, housing and planning cases. One client fighting an injunction says he was ‘taken back in awe’ when he met him. ‘No airs and graces, he was totally focused on me and the job in hand.’ Another said he ‘has a way of explaining to me so I don’t feel stupid. It doesn’t matter what the question is, he makes me feel safe and yet still understand the law’.

Liz is described as ‘a standard bearer for barristers’. She is approachable, professional and her advice, whether positive or negative, is very clear. She is committed to acting for tenants and the homeless, and also trains other housing lawyers. She has been active in the Justice Alliance campaign against the cuts, and is chairperson of the Haldane Society.

Ben Hoare Bell has around 100 staff, and remains resolutely committed to publicly funded work, offering services in family, actions against the state, health and social care, crime, mental health and housing. It employs a team of exceptional and committed lawyers, including the likes of Cris McCurley (see ‘Family’ category) and Simon Garlick, who leads its public law department. It is the leading police misconduct specialist in the North East. The entire firm was involved in its energetic and creative campaign against the legal aid cuts.

GT Stewart (pictured, right) was founded in 2003 and is best known for its criminal defence work, although over the years it has expanded to include family, housing, actions against the police, prison law and mental health law. It has eight offices, and employs 75 lawyers. Some 90 per cent of its work is legally aided, and this ethos runs throughout the whole firm. Staff are active in practitioner groups and were heavily involved in the recent legal aid demonstrations.

Launched in 1977, Hodge Jones & Allen was one of the legal aid pioneers, and founder Patrick Allen remains at the helm some 37 years later. Over the years, the firm has evolved, but its commitment to legal aid work remains undiminished. It opened over 1,600 legal aid files last year, and many of its lawyers are recognised as leaders in their field, doing groundbreaking work, including Jocelyn Cockburn and Susie Labinjoh, who co-head its civil liberties team, and Raj Chada, named criminal defence LALY winner in 2012.

The Howard League aims to put children and young people at the heart of the criminal justice system, by a mix of representation and advice, lobbying and influencing. It acts for young people against prison authorities in both administrative procedures in prison and judicial review, as well as advising on criminal appeals. Its clients are vulnerable and, without its support, would have no chance of having their voices heard. It recently brought a judicial review challenging the removal of legal aid from most prison law work.

Nick has long been known as an exceptional barrister, with unswerving commitment to his clients and developing the law, but has recently developed a reputation as a dogged campaigner. Nick was instrumental in galvanising opposition to the attack on civil legal aid. He has arranged meetings, organised hiring a lobbyist, and produced briefing papers. His ‘stamina seemed inexhaustible’.

Matt was co-founder of the Justice Alliance and played a central role in organising its highly successful demonstrations against the cuts, which led to that rarest of prizes: positive media coverage of legal aid and legal aid lawyers. He is described as ‘an eloquent, inspiring, indefatigable, modest and passionate campaigner and leader’. One supporter says he has ‘done outstanding service to the cause of access to justice for all’.

Robin and Bill were nominated jointly as they have stood shoulder to shoulder in their roles as vice-chairperson and chairperson, respectively, of the Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association. Their campaigning styles are described as contrasting but complementary, with Bill ‘the subtle diplomat,’ and Robin having a more ‘tub-thumping rallying style’. What unites them has been their tireless opposition to the attack on the criminal justice system that they both serve in their professional lives.