We are delighted to announce that Ollie Persey is the winner of Legal Aid Newcomer of the Year at the 2024 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards.
Our warmest congratulations to Ollie for this outstanding achievement.
Ollie is a public law and human rights barrister. He is ranked in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 and was previously a finalist for a ‘Junior of the Year’ award at the Legal 500 Awards 2022 for his work in his core practice areas. He is a member of the Equality & Human Rights Commission’s panel of preferred counsel.
Ollie is the consultant editor of ‘Halsbury’s Laws on Judicial Review’ and a contributing author of the Legal Action Group textbooks, ‘Discrimination in Public Law’ and ‘Migrant Support Handbook’.
Event host, Symeon Brown, said on Friday before announcing Ollie's win:
"Ollie has a thriving community care and education law practice, and has particular expertise in Equality Act 2010 protections owed to marginalised children accessing education. He has been involved in a number of significant High Court cases in the last 12 months. His nomination has been supported by a wealth of solicitors, barristers, campaign organisations, clients and a baroness. He is also a frequent writer, speaker, volunteer, and organiser, always willing to give his time and share expertise. From the outset of his career, he has shown himself to be a natural-born networker and instinctive collaborator with a knack for bringing people together."
Ollie was shortlisted alongside John Crowley of Leigh Day, Mira Hammad of Garden Court North Chambers, and Nicholas Highers of Duncan Lewis Solicitors.
The LALY awards are organised by Legal Aid Practitioners Group on a not-for-profit basis; this year, there were 11 award categories in total; and the trophies were presented by Simeon Brown. A full list of finalists can be found here.
