Four local authorities shortlisted for Legal Team of the Year

September 27, 2016

Four local authorities have been shortlisted for the Legal Team of the Year in the Local Government Legal Awards 2016.

The four departments in the running are:

Nottinghamshire Legal Services
Suffolk Legal Team
Leeds Legal Services
Gateshead Commercial Law Team

The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 18 November 2016 at the Queen’s Hotel in Leeds, with comedian Alun Cochrane as master of ceremonies. Tickets are available at a cost of £55 for local government lawyers by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Prices include a sparking reception with canapes, a three-course dinner with wine, coffee and entertainment.

The shortlists for the other categories are as follows:

CILEX Lawyer of the Year

Drew Thompson from Suffolk County Council
Adijat Egbeobi from Southwark LBC
Thomas Richard Owen from Conwy County Borough Council
Robert Baldwin from the City of Wolverhampton Council
Ruth Griffiths from Peterborough City Council

Governance Lawyer/Team of the Year

Paul Cummins & Ben Bix from Horsham District Council
Norman Coombe from Southwark LBC
The Governance Team from the City of Wolverhampton Council

Junior Lawyer of the Year

Phillip Hopkins from Nplaw Norfolk County Council
Kate Hiller from Warwickshire County Council
Martin Ricks from Suffolk County Council
Emma Bethell from Suffolk County Council
Sarah Morton from North Yorkshire County Council

Litigation Lawyer/Team of the Year

Martin Ricks from Suffolk County Council
The Criminal Litigation Team at Hackney LBC
Donald Adams from Bracknell Forest
The Litigation & Governance Team at City of Wolverhampton Council

Local Government Legal Professional of the Year

Graham Cole from Luton Borough Council
John Crosse from Wakefield MDC
Emma Bethell from Suffolk County Council
Pauline Campbell from Hackney LBC

People Related Lawyer/Team of the Year

Children & Adults Social Care Team at Leeds City Council
The Children’s Team at North Yorkshire County Council
Social Care & Safeguarding Team at Suffolk County Council
Social Care (Preventing Violent Extremism) Team at Tower Hamlets LBC
The Community Law Team at Wakefield MDC
The Child Protection Team at Nplaw Norfolk
The Social Care & Education Team at the City of Wolverhampton
The Adult Social Care & Health Team at Wakefield MDC

Place Related Lawyer/Team of the Year

Legal Planning & Property Team at Durham County Council
Emma Bethell from Suffolk County Council
The Property & Development Team at Leeds City Council
The Litigation & Governance Team at the City of Wolverhampton

Innovative Lawyer/Innovation Team of the Year

Legal Services at Nottinghamshire County Council
The Legal Team at Suffolk County Council
The Practice Support; Social & Education Teams at London Borough of Merton t/a South London Legal Partnership
Legal Services at Warwickshire County Council

Project Lawyer/Team of the Year

Victoria Newbold from Warwickshire County Council
The Commercial Legal Team at Hackney LBC
Commissioning Team, Projects Programmes and Procurement Unit at Leeds City Council
Emma Bethell from Suffolk County Council
Cathryn Moore from North Yorkshire County Council
Patrick Houghton from Gateshead Borough Council

Commenting on the shortlists, Lawyers in Local Government said: “The standard this year was just as impressive as on previous years and whilst not every nomination could go through, the professional standard across England & Wales marks our sector out. Well done to everyone.”