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LONDON 29/06/2007

CHERIE BOOTH QC HONOURS LEGAL AID HEROES

In her first day after leaving Downing Street, Cherie Booth QC last night stressed the importance to our society of a properly-funded legal aid system, as she paid tribute to the heroes of legal aid at the fifth annual Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards. As chair of the judging panel, she presented the trophies to the winners at a ceremony in Haberdashers' Hall, London. The awards, organised by the Legal Aid Practitioners Group, celebrate the work of lawyers who have dedicated their careers to protecting the rights of the poor and the powerless against the rich and powerful, and to working towards the goal that nobody should be unable to protect and enforce their rights just because they cannot afford a lawyer.

In her comments to guests at the event, Ms Booth stressed the importance of legal aid, saying, "It's as important as having properly funded health services or adequately provided housing. It should be up there among the priorities of government and we have to make sure that we keep pushing that case." She urged all those involved with legal aid to play their part. "We are doughty fighters. We keep taking the impossible cases, for our clients. If we can't do that for ourselves as well, we are not the people I think we are."

The award for Outstanding Achievement was made to Alured Darlington. In the 1970s, Alured was responsible for pushing the boundaries of the law to secure protection for the victims of domestic abuse. He worked with Erin Pizzey, who had founded the first women's shelter. Ms Pizzey paid tribute to him for the risks he took personally and professionally to help the women who came to her seeking refuge from violent partners. More recently, he became concerned at the plight of young women from the third world he was representing for drug importation offences. Very often, they had little idea of the potential risks of what they were doing, either in respect of the criminal penalties they faced or the danger of death. Moved to try to tackle this problem "at source" by stopping these women becoming drug mules in the first place, he has helped develop and promote a video warning of the risks they face if they get involved in drug trafficking.

Jan Luba QC was named Barrister of the Year. Jan has been involved in just about every leading case in the housing field, developing and enforcing the rights of the homeless and those living in substandard accommodation.

Criminal Defence Lawyer of the year was Colin Byrne. He was nominated by a colleague for his hard work daily at the coal-face; and his nomination was supported by a young woman who, at the age of 17, was charged with the manslaughter of her baby son. Colin showed up the flaws in the medical evidence and secured her acquittal after a retrial.

Alison Gerry won Young Barrister of the Year for her work in difficult inquest cases, including the Rachel Whitear case. She has also drafted an analysis of the legality of the death penalty in international law, which has been adapted and used in a number of jurisdictions.

Young Solicitor Aika Stephenson not only works in the Youth Justice System, she has also developed Just For Kids Law. This organisation provides Youth Advocates for youngsters caught up in legal and quasi-legal proceedings, and trains lawyers and other advisers who work with young people.

LAPG Director Richard Miller said, "All of our winners and nominees deserve the utmost respect. In the middle of the turmoil caused by a period of unprecedented change, this remarkable body of men and women, along with many others throughout the country, is providing a priceless service. The clients do not regard these people as businesses but as the heroes who help them through the most difficult times in their lives.

"It is this indefinable element that makes an excellent legal aid lawyer. It cannot be measured, which is why it is under threat from the Government's proposals. The anger of legal aid lawyers at the Government is not for themselves, but for their clients. The lawyers will merely lose some job satisfaction. The clients will lose the lawyers who go the extra mile to help them when they are at their most desperate.

He continued, "That is why, as we celebrate the work of these amazing individuals, we call on Gordon Brown, as he becomes Prime Minister to ensure that in another five years, we are still able to celebrate such heroes who are invaluable to the poor and the powerless."

Notes for Editors

LAPG is an independent grass roots movement, representing over 500 firms at the heart of the provision of publicly funded legal services. Website www.lapg.co.uk

The judges for the awards are: Cherie Booth QC (chair), with Fiona Bawdon (freelance legal journalist), Rob Brown (London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association), Yvonne Brown (Black Solicitors Network), Wesley Gryk (holder of Immigration seat on the Law Society Council), Steve Hynes (Law Centres Federation), Laura Janes (Chair, Young Legal Aid Lawyers, and Young Solicitor of the Year 2006), Doreen Lawrence (Stephen Lawrence Trust), the Hon. Mr Justice McFarlane (High Court judge), Roy Morgan (Chair, LAPG), Lucy Scott-Moncrieff (Chair, Law Society's Access to Justice Committee) and Helen Shaw (Inquest)

The full list of winners is: · Young Solicitor (Sponsored by the Legal Services Commission): Aika Stephenson, Lawrence & Co Solicitors

· Young Barrister (Sponsored by Natwest Legal Centre): Alison Gerry, Doughty Street Chambers

· Family (Sponsored by Resolution): Neil Robinson, Nowell Meller Solicitors

· Mental Health (Sponsored by Allen & Overy): Michael Kennedy, Switalskis

· Immigration (Sponsored by the Law Society): Sue Willman, Pierce Glynn

· Social & Welfare (Sponsored by Clifford Chance): John Halford, Bindman & Partners

· Barrister (Sponsored by the Bar Council): Jan Luba QC, Garden Court Chambers

· Solicitors Organisation (Sponsored by Matrix Chambers): The Tendring Outreach Project, Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP

· Criminal Defence (Sponsored by the Criminal Law Solicitors Association): Colin Byrne, Howard & Byrne

· Outstanding Achievement (Sponsored by DG Legal): Alured Darlington of Veja and Co

New Law Journal is the Official Legal Journal of the LALY Awards 2007

Previous winners include:

Gareth Peirce, who has acted for, among many others, the Birmingham Six, the Guildford Four, and the family of Jean Charles de Menezes Stephen Scully, nominated by clients and staff at the Manor Hotel, Walsall, which provides supported accommodation for women coming off drugs, and their children. He continues to support his clients while they are recovering. He even helped at the children's Christmas party - "solicitor by day, Santa at night!" Louise Christian, campaigning lawyer who has acted on behalf of the victims of the Potters Bar and Hatfield rail crashes, and Guantanamo detainees Greg Powell, an experienced defence advocate who represented one of the detainees at Guantanamo, both during his time in Cuba and on his arrest on return to the UK. He was the Times Lawyer of the Week on 16th March 2004 Helen Williams, who co-ordinates a specialist telephone service, and oversees 14 outreach clinics, thereby providing vital services throughout Wales.

Rachel Whitear died in 2000, from a heroin overdose, and her parents allowed photos of her body to be used to warn people off drugs. At the initial inquest, an open verdict was recorded, and many questions remained unanswered. The coroner refused to re-open the inquest after both the police and the family requested it because of new evidence. The family then applied to the High Court for a new inquest, which the Court granted in October 2006.