The mark of a distinguished career in the legal field, our Lifetime Contribution award is one of the most prestigious categories in the upcoming LexisNexis Legal Awards 2018.
This coveted trophy aims to highlight the outstanding career of one individual and the long-lasting and powerful impact they have made on the legal world. The unique qualities and contributions of this award’s winner will be judged by legal experts, including Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC, the head of Atkin Chambers and the most recent past Chairman of the Bar of England and Wales; Joe Egan, the current President of The Law Society; and John Wotton, a member of the CMA inquiry panel and the former President of The Law Society.
Nominations are still open for this illustrious award, while suggestions so far include:
Lord Neuberger
As the President of the Supreme Court between 2012 and 2017, Lord Neuberger sat at the helm of the nation’s highest court throughout a startling period which saw some of the most emblematic cases in British history. These included Nicklinson v Ministry of Justice, concerning the question of the right to die within English law, and of course the biggest headline of 2017, the Article 50 ruling. Throughout his time as the country’s top judge, Lord Neuberger also fought tirelessly to promote transparency and accessibility within the Supreme Court, and has established himself as one of the leading voices in the crusade for the rule of law.
Geoffrey Robertson QC
The co-head and founder of the admired Doughty Street Chambers, Geoffrey Robertson has enjoyed an outstanding career handling landmark cases. His track record is as varied as it is illustrious: he has previously acted on major terrorism cases such as the Brighton bombing, as well as on significant matters relating to extradition and immigration. He also spent five years as a UN appeal judge, acting as President of the War Crimes Court in Sierra Leone and handing down trailblazing judgments regarding child soldiers and war crimes.
Gareth Peirce
With a formidable reputation for passionate, principled advocacy, Gareth Peirce has made her name throughout her long career as a champion of civil rights. She has acted as the driving force behind landmark cases on countless occasions, with her defence of the Guildford Four in 1989 remaining one of her most emblematic victories. Her stellar track record of tackling headline cases has also included her representation of the families of Jean Charles de Menezes and of the Marchioness disaster victims, and recent years have led her to act on numerous illegal detention cases, from striking miners to accused terrorists held in Guantanamo Bay. Her name has undoubtedly become synonymous with the tireless struggle for universal human rights, with pioneering lawyer Benedict Birnberg stating that Gareth Peirce has ‘transformed the criminal justice scene in this country almost single-handedly.’
If you would like to nominate one of these candidates for our Lifetime Contribution award, or if there is another contender you would like to suggest, please submit your entries online at www.LexisNexis.co.uk/legalawards2018 before the closing date of 5 December 2017.
