Community lawyers win high honour.

Byline: Peter McCusker

ANEWCASTLE law firm has scooped a national honour with its recognition as Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year 2009.

Presented for outstanding achievement in legal aid law in England and Wales, this is the first time the award has been won by a North East firm and comes as the multi-disciplinary firm celebrates 30 years in practice.

At a ceremony last night in London hosted by the Legal Aid Practitioners Group, Clare Routledge, longest serving partner with David Gray Solicitors, was presented with the award by chair of the judges Cherie Booth QC.

Ms Booth said: "David Gray Solicitors in Newcastle is a great example of a truly committed, community law firm, devoted to giving a high quality of service to the least advantaged in society. This award is well deserved recognition for the many years of highly successful and skilled legal work which David Gray Solicitors carries out in an area of law which seldom hits the headlines." Ms Routledge, one of only two women lawyers ever to be president of Newcastle Law Society, said: "To win this award is a huge accolade to the calibre of our hardworking and dedicated lawyers at David Gray Solicitors.

"Legal aid work very often goes unsung and unrecognised yet plays a crucial role in helping the lives of the most vulnerable in our society. To win this award in the same year as celebrating 30 years in practice is tremendously pleasing for us all and underlines the firm's success, as well as our philosophy of unswerving commitment to our community.

"To be the first North East firm ever to win is definitely the icing on the cake." Based in Westgate Road and employing 75 staff, with nine partners, the firm was established by Newcastle solicitor David Gray in 1979 and is now the region's largest single-site practice specialising in publicly funded law..

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FIRST David Gray Solicitors' staff outside their office in Westgate Road, Newcastle