Six teams in running for Legal Team of the Year at LLG Awards 2025

LLG (Lawyers in Local Government) has announced the shortlists for the LLG Awards 2025, including for the inaugural ‘Rising Star’ award named in honour of the late Suki Binjal.

The shortlist for Legal Team of the Year is:

  • The Commercial Property team at City of Wolverhampton
  • The Legal Services Team at St Helens Borough Council
  • Warwickshire Legal Services - Warwickshire County Council
  • One Legal – the shared legal service for Cheltenham Borough Council, Gloucester City Council, Stroud District Council, and Tewkesbury Borough Council
  • West Midlands Combined Authority Legal Team
  • The Joint Legal Team at Reading Borough Council.

The other shortlists are as follows:

Junior Lawyer of the Year

  • Charlotte Smith - North West Leicestershire District Council
  • Sabina Cherevichenko - Brighton & Hove City Council
  • Miranda Forth - Warwickshire County Council
  • Susan Desfontaines - West Northamptonshire Council

Legal Professional of the Year

  • Chris Simmonds - City of Wolverhampton
  • Jeanette Thompson - North Herts Council
  • Mark Trillo - High Peak Borough Council and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council 

Excellence in Training Award

  • HB Public Law
  • Kieran Stockley - West Midlands Combined Authority
  • Angela Baldwin & Jane Lakin - Derbyshire County Council
  • Buckinghamshire Council Heads of Legal Services
  • Stockport Council Legal Team

Suki Binjal Rising Star Award

  • Guy Darvill - Warwickshire County Council
  • Ifan Aslam - Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
  • Nicki Agalamanyi - West Northamptonshire Council

Significant contribution to local government law and practice

  • Geoff Wild - Adur District and Worthing Borough Councils
  • Peter Endall - Warwickshire County Council
  • Lindsey Marks - Reading Borough Council
  • GM Academy Team: Rebecca Maddison, Gillian Duckworth, Michael O’Connor, Russ Glennon, Iain Reid, Heather Rogerson - Greater Manchester Combined Authorities

Paul Turner, President of LLG and Director – Legal and Assurance at Essex County Council, said: “It’s great to see so many strong entries for these awards. Impressive to read about all the great work our members are to support the communities they serve and also the community of local government lawyers. I am sure the judges will have a difficult time selecting the winners - we wish all shortlisted candidates the best of luck.”

The awards ceremony will be held at LLG’s Spring Conference in Bristol on 6 June.