Finalists 2025

Thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination for the 2025 Northern Law Awards. We were delighted with the response to the call for nominations and as always, it is great to see so many talented individuals, teams and organisations who have excelled in our region.

See below to discover the successful nominees who made it through to the final stage of the nomination process:

Apprentice of the Year
  • Jessica Garthwaite – Tilly Baily & Irvine LLP
  • Joseph Halvorsen – Cartmell Shepherd Limited
  • Capri Lindo – Cygnet Law
  • Grace Dye – Freeman Johnson
  • Ellie Cliffe – Marsden Rawsthorn Solicitors
  • Robyn Harvey – North Tyneside Council
Trainee of the Year - Sponsored by Newcastle Law School
  • Lauren Taylor – Paul J Watson Solicitor
  • Rhiannon Jade Brown – LeoVegas Limited
  • Ethan Allerton – Atom Bank
Rising Star of the Year - Supported by the University of Law
  • Chloe Robson – Slater and Gordon
  • Rowen Cobb – Irwin Mitchell LLP
  • Zakia Hussain – Cygnet Law
  • Jennifer Fish – Irwin Mitchell
  • Lucy Walther – Tilly Bailey & Irvine LLP
  • Ellie Honeyman – Jacksons
Lawyer of the Year
  • Daniel Fleming – Medway Exchange
  • Ruth Markham – Cooklaw Solicitors
  • Laura Gabbey-Cristofini – Irwin Mitchell
  • Natalie Nunn – Freeman Johnson
  • Laura Farnworth – Atom Bank
  • Kathryn Reece Thomas – Reece Thomas Watson
  • Ellie Bellas – Grey Smith Legal
Law Teacher of the Year
  • Dr Kim Bouwer – Durham Law School
  • Bethany Simpson – Newcastle University
  • Peter Rowlands – Innersummit Professional Services
Law Firm of the Year (1-5 partners)
  • Medway Law
  • Cooklaw Solicitors LLP
  • Sort Legal
Law Firm of the Year (6+ partners) - sponsored by Robson Laidler
  • Cygnet Law
  • Swinburne Maddison
  • Jacksons
  • Irwin Mitchell
Pro Bono / Community Initiative - Sponsored by Trinity Chambers
  • Teesside University Law Clinic
  • Newcastle University
  • Pepperells Solicitors
Team of the Year – Litigation and Dispute Resolution
  • Cartmell Shepherd Limited
  • Swinburne Maddison LLP
Team of the Year – Property (Residential) - Sponsored by Progressive Legal Solutions
  • Medway Exchange
  • Tilly Bailey & Irvine LLP
  • Grey Smith Legal
  • Sort Legal
  • Cooklaw Solicitors
Team of the Year – Property (Commercial) - Sponsored by InfoTrack
  • Tilly Bailey & Irvine LLP
  • Grey Smith Legal
Team of the Year – Private Client
  • Cygnet Law
  • Jacksons
  • Freers Askew Bunting Solicitors
  • Cartmell Shepherd Limited
Team of the Year – Personal Injury/Clinical Negligence
  • Irwin Mitchell LLP
  • Slater and Gordon
Team of the Year – Family Law
  • Irwin Mitchell
  • Cygnet Law
  • Cartmell Shepherd Limited
  • Tilly Bailey & Irvine LLP