From the outset, with its extraordinary passion, professionalism and commitment, YLAL drew inspiration from the legal aid sector’s finest. However, just as every parent ultimately learns far more from their children, than their children learn from them, as the group approaches its tenth year, it is YLAL which is providing the inspiration and a much-needed morale boost to longer-serving members of the profession.

YLAL has shown itself to be endlessly energetic, creative and committed, cheerfully dragooning the great and good into supporting its campaigns and events. Few who were there will forget the sight of its committee conga-ing up on stage to collect their Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year award for outstanding achievement in 2009.

Without YLAL’s social media skills and indefatigability, there would have been no Justice Alliance; no film with the likes of Stephen Fry and Tamsin Greg declaring themselves ‘for justice’; no mass protests against the LASPO cuts; and certainly no ‘jelfies’ (justice selfies). For the latter alone, we all owe YLAL a huge debt of gratitude.