Garden Court Chambers’ barrister, Connor Johnston, has been awarded the Legal Aid Newcomer award.
We are delighted to announce that Garden Court Chambers’ Connor Johnston has been awarded the Legal Aid Newcomer award at the thirteenth annual Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards.
A housing, community care and public law barrister, Connor was nominated for his outstanding commitment to legal aid work since being called to the Bar in 2010. Through both his housing law practice, in which he is dedicated to homelessness work and helping those who are at risk of losing their home, and through his time as Co-Chair of the Young Legal Aid Lawyers, Connor’s dedication to ensuring access to justice for the most vulnerable has been unwavering.
Accepting the award, Connor said that he has always been motivated by the need to “keep a roof over his clients’ heads”. He added, “you have to be tenacious to be a legal aid lawyer, but it’s worth it.”
Praise must also go to the other nominees in the Legal Aid Newcomer category: Emma Cordock (AFG Law), for her dedication to family law legal aid work, and Aisling Ni Chuinn (Wilsons), for her dedication to representing clients seeking asylum in the UK.
At a time when legal aid is being decimated, the LALY Awards offer a unique opportunity to celebrate the work of those who remain committed to ensuring access to justice is attainable for all. Thanks must go to Carol Storer and the Legal Aid Practitioners Group for organising the event and making it such a success. Finally, we would like to offer our congratulations to all the nominees and award winners who we hope will remain comrades in the fight to save legal aid.
