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Duggan inquest solicitor shortlisted for 2015 LALY awards
The solicitor acting for the family of Mark Duggan, whose shooting by police sparked the 2011 riots, and a lawyer who won praise from the president of the Family Division, are among the finalists for the 2015 Legal Aid Practitioners Group Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards.
Marcia Willis-Stewart, managing partner of Birnberg Peirce, was shortlisted for the inaugural public law LALY award, and was praised for her sensitive handling of the Duggan case.
Rebecca Stevens, of Withy King in Bath, is a finalist for the family LALY award. In 2014, Stevens was praised by Sir James Munby for showing ‘devotion … far above and beyond the call of duty’, after she spent 100 hours acting unpaid for a father with learning difficulties, who didn’t qualify for legal aid, and faced the prospect of having his children removed for adoption.
The LALYs are organised by the Legal Aid Practitioners Group and are into their 13th year. Legal Action is their media partner. There are 12 award categories in total, and the winners will be announced on 1 July.
See pages 11–13 for full list of finalists.