We are absolutely delighted to have won two awards at the hugely competitive Lawyer Awards 2021.
Our first award was for Litigation Team of the Year and is testament to the work the team has done to secure various groundbreaking judgements over the last year. The Lawyer commented on one such groundbreaking judgement – the High Court’s decision to rule against the Official Receiver in his bid to disqualify the former trustees and CEO of Kids Company from acting as directors – saying:
The judges rated this as a standout matter and commented on the enormous societal importance of individuals acting as trustees in charities. The result achieved by Bates Wells in the Kids Company case is an excellent one in an area where the Official Receiver appears to have significantly overreached. Pitted against the unlimited resources of the State, the Bates Wells team, including Philip Kirkpatrick, Robert Oakley, Lucy Rhodes and Charlie Miller, achieved an outstanding result and their clients were able to leave court with their heads held high and their reputations intact.
The Lawyer Awards 2021 Judging Panel
The second award – Pro Bono Initiative of the Year – was based on the Uber employment status case in the Supreme Court. Paul Jennings and Rachel Mathieson worked pro bono on the case, which will help redefine the ‘gig’ economy and make a significant impact on 21st century workers’ rights. According to the judges, we delivered “real societal impact, legacy and clear measurable outcomes – everything that great pro bono should be”.
For any press queries please speak to Heloïse Paull on 020 7551 7678 or [email protected]