Kirsty Stuart From Irwin Mitchell Wins Inaugural Disability Rights Award At 2021 Legal Aid Lawyer Of The Year Awards

A member of the public law team in the Newcastle office of Irwin Mitchell has won the first Disability Rights Award at the Legal Aid Layer of the Year Awards (LALYs).

Kirsty Stuart scooped the Legal Aid Practitioners Group (LAPG) Award at a virtual ceremony live-streamed on 6 July, hosted by Sky News presenter, Anna Jones.

For the last 18 years, the LAPG awards, known as the LALYs have been recognising some of the unsung heroes of the legal aid community.

Kirsty represents families across the country and specialises in handling health and welfare as well as medical treatment cases. She also campaigns and acts for families of people with learning disabilities and autistic people to secure their discharge out of in-patient units and into their own homes in the community.

She was one of 26 individuals and nine organisations chosen as finalists for this year’s awards.

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“After what has been a difficult year for colleagues and clients alike, it was an honour to win the first Disability Rights Award.

“Everyone nominated has made an amazing contribution and it was a pleasure to be part of such a group, all who have had such a big impact on legal aid work in testing times.

“Clients have faced huge difficulties in not being able to have contact with loved ones and are doing their best in the most difficult of circumstances. It has been an honour to represent them and guide them through their darkest moments.

“I absolutely love my job and the successes for our clients over the last year make this award all the more special.” Kirsty Stuart - Senior Associate Solicitor

Mathieu Culverhouse, a partner in the public law team at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Kirsty is a fantastic lawyer and the whole team is delighted to see her hard work over the last year recognised.

“To win the inaugural Disability Rights Award is an outstanding achievement and a fitting acknowledgement that our clients’ lives continue to be improved through her efforts and dedication to their cause.

“We are all proud of Kirsty and her achievement is another example of the great lawyers we have throughout the public law team.”