Joining Suella Braverman QC MP and Tyler Cruickshank will be X Factor and CBB star Katie Waissel and more
The Attorney General Suella Braverman QC MP and Love Island finalist and law grad Tyler Cruickshank lead the star-studded judging panels for this month’s Legal Cheek Awards, sponsored by BARBRI, where they will both be presenting gongs.
Braverman is judging the award for ‘Best Legal Cheek Journal contribution 2022′, alongside Financial Times legal correspondent Kate Beioley and blogging barristers Maximilian Hardy of 9 Bedford Row and Matthew Scott of Pump Court Chambers.
Braverman, a Cambridge law graduate who practised at the bar before entering politics, has kindly taken time out of her extremely busy schedule to judge and present the award.
Cruickshank, meanwhile, is judging the Legal Cheek award for ‘Best use of social media 2022’, and will be joined by The X Factor contestant turned law student Katie Waissel and vlogging solicitor Chrissie Wolfe.
Since finding fame on dating show Love Island Cruickshank, a St Mary’s University law graduate who hasn’t ruled out a return to law, has grown his follower count on Instagram to several hundred thousands and now courts big money brand deals. Collectively, this year’s social media judging panel have over 250,000 followers on Instagram alone.
“I’m looking forward to attending the Legal Cheek Awards and presenting the award for ‘Best use of social media’,” said Cruickshank. “There are some excellent entries this year and it’s been great to see how they each use their platforms to engage audiences and bring awareness of the law.”
Waissel, who starred in The X Factor and Celebrity Big Brother, said: “It has been a true honour and privilege to be part of this year’s Legal Cheek Awards judging panel.”
“Social media plays a pivotal role in communication, bringing together and empowering communities globally,” she added. “A big thank you to Legal Cheek for recognising the importance of such a category.”
“Each year this category has got more and more impressive and this one was no exception,” commented Wolfe. “The level of passion, creativity and dedication that each of the nominees has shown to making the legal profession a more accessible and inclusive place is beyond inspiring and all of them should be extremely proud of what they have achieved.”
The Legal Cheek Awards returns as an in-person bash this year and takes place on the evening of Thursday 24 March at Landing Forty Two of the Leadenhall ‘Cheesegrater’ Building in central London. The invite-only event is sponsored by global legal education provider, BARBRI.
Below are the shortlists for each category.
Best Legal Cheek Journal contribution 2022
‘SPACs: What’s all the fuss about?’ by Roisin Blackmore
‘Why the new policing bill threatens our right to protest’ by James Cox
‘#SaveColin or #FreeCuthbert? The case of the caterpillar cakes’ by Sammy Hacklett
‘What the non-fungible token craze means for IP law’ by William Holmes
‘Loot boxes’: Blurring the lines between gaming and gambling?’ by Samuel Jenkins
‘Where is ESG headed?’ by Adam Jordan
‘Johnson & Johnson split: it’s not me, it’s the (pharma) boom’ by Paola Lindo
‘The rise and fall of the European Super League’ by Tanzeel ur Rehman
‘Why the Online Safety Bill doesn’t go far enough’ by Nathan Silver
‘Sustainability or spin? Greenwashing and the law’ by Matthew Unsworth
Best use of social media 2022
City Law Bois (Instagram)
DAC Beachcroft solicitor apprentice Maia Crockford ‘My Legal Career’ (Instagram/TikTok)
Irish employment lawyer Richard Grogan (TikTok)
Jordon Goodman ‘The Legal Northerner’ (Instagram/TikTok)
Trowers & Hamlins trainee solicitor Megan Hulme ‘It’s All Hearsay’ (Instagram)
SD Worx legal counsel Emma Lilley ‘In-house Potter’ (Instagram)
Amelia Platton ‘The Neurodiverse Lawyer’ (Instagram)
Clifford Chance trainee solicitor Liam Porritt (YouTube)
BCLP associate Sophie Shaw ‘Law with Sophie’ (Instagram)
BPP LPC/LLM student Maab Saifeldin (Instagram)
These are just two of 25 awards due to be announced at this month’s ultra glam ceremony. Several law firms and chambers have been shortlisted in categories including training, quality of work, work/life balance and more. The winning firms and chambers are based off the results of our annual Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey, which this year received over 2,500 responses from rookies across the country. Check out the shortlisted firms and chambers.
Other big-name legal figures to feature on our judging panels in previous years include David Lammy MP, David Gauke, Rosie Williams, Rob Rinder and the Secret Barrister.
