Winners announced at the Bar Council Employed Bar Awards 2022
The quality and range of work by the employed Bar was celebrated at the Bar Council’s Employed Bar Awards 2022 last night, in partnership with the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn.
At the employed Bar dinner, hosted at Gray’s Inn Hall, the awards were presented by Mike Jones KC, Chair of the Bar Council Employed Barristers’ Committee, Sir Peter Gross, Master Treasurer of Gray’s Inn, and Mark Fenhalls KC, Chair of the Bar Council.
And the winners are:
John Swords, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) - Employed Barrister of the Year in the Public Sector. John is Legal Adviser and Director of the Office of Legal Affairs for NATO. He played an active role in negotiating and drafting the NATO Summit Communiqué in June 2021.
Charlotte Pope-Williams, Pinsent Masons - Employed Barrister of the Year in a Law Firm. Charlotte is a Senior Associate working cross-departmentally at Pinsent Masons. She is a dedicated champion for access and diversity at the Bar, teaches advocacy, and provides mentorship and coaching.
John Battle, ITN - Employed Barrister of the Year in Commerce, Finance, or Industry. John is a barrister for ITN and was crucial in the drafting and production of the Reporters’ Charter, which was adopted by the Ministry of Justice in 2022. He also chairs the Media Lawyers Association.
Cdr Caroline Tuckett RN, Naval Legal Services – Employed Barrister of the Year in the Armed Forces. Commander Tuckett is Lead Legal Adviser – International Law for the Royal Navy. She has led the debate around the legal use of autonomous warships and her expertise has been recognised by the House of Lords Defence and International Relations Committees.
Government Legal Department: Department of Health and Social Care - Legal Team of the Year. The DHSC legal team supported the Government through its initial response to the Covid-19 pandemic producing more than 90 pieces of secondary legislation ensuring legality and the rule of law were upheld. Professor Chris Whitty described the team’s work as “remarkable”.
Mark Fenhalls KC, Chair of the Bar Council and one of the judges, said:
“The entries for the awards were exceptional and demonstrate not only the rich talent we have at the employed Bar, but also the strength and diversity of the sector.
“Congratulations to all of our nominees and winners. It was certainly a challenging task for the judging panel to select the winners.”
Mike Jones KC, Chair of the Employed Barristers’ Committee, said: “The employed Bar is about exceptional individuals working in excellent legal teams, and through the awards we can shine a spotlight on their work, whether in the private or public sectors, or the Armed Forces.”
The Rt Hon Sir Peter Gross, Master Treasurer at Gray’s Inn, said: "The awards celebrate excellence at the employed Bar, the nominations were formidable, and I wish colleagues great success in their careers.”
The Bar Council’s Employed Bar Awards 2022 are awarded thanks to the generosity and support of the sponsors: The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, Inner Temple, Lincoln’s Inn, BAE Systems, Government Legal Department and the Bar Association for Commerce, Finance and Industry (BACFI).
Members of the judging panel: Mark Fenhalls KC, Sir David Green CB KC, Sara Lawson KC, and Simon Regis.
