Duncan Lewis Solicitors Celebrates Two Finalists in the 2026 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards (15 May 2026)

Legal Aid Practitioners Group (LAPG) has announced the shortlist for the 2026 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year (LALY) Awards, recognising outstanding individuals and organisations working on the social justice frontline. Now in their 24th year, the awards celebrate the exceptional commitment and achievements of legal aid practitioners across England and Wales.

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is proud to announce that two of our colleagues have been shortlisted as finalists in this year’s awards:

• Kathy Walker – Childcare Legal Aid category
• Lewis Roach-Kett – Public Law category

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in central London on 3 July 2026.

Kathy Walker – Childcare Legal Aid Finalist

Kathy Walker, Director and children law specialist, has been shortlisted in recognition of her outstanding contribution to publicly funded children law work over more than two decades of practice.

A member of the Law Society Children Panel since 2010, Kathy is widely respected for her expertise in complex public law children proceedings and her unwavering commitment to safeguarding the welfare and rights of children. Her work spans some of the most challenging cases in this field, including matters involving serious medical treatment decisions, non-accidental injury, trafficking, deprivation of liberty, and international adoption disputes.

Kathy is particularly recognised for her compassionate, child-centred approach, ensuring that vulnerable children and families are able to participate meaningfully in proceedings and that children’s voices remain central to court decisions. Alongside her demanding caseload, she also plays a key role in mentoring colleagues and maintaining high standards of legal aid representation across the firm.

Lewis Roach-Kett – Public Law Finalist

Lewis Roach-Kett, a Supervising Solicitor in the Public Law and Immigration departments, has been recognised for his exceptional work representing vulnerable individuals in complex judicial review litigation. His practice focuses on immigration detention, systemic mistreatment of detainees, and challenges to unlawful state action, often involving urgent cases where clients face serious harm or breaches of fundamental rights.

Lewis has played a leading role in nationally significant public law cases, including litigation arising from the Manston asylum processing centre crisis and challenges relating to immigration detention safeguards. His work has contributed to major developments in accountability and access to justice, including securing participant status for dozens of former detainees in the ongoing Manston Public Inquiry.

Alongside his litigation practice, Lewis is committed to mentoring junior lawyers and supporting the next generation of public law practitioners within the legal aid sector.

Recognising Excellence in Legal Aid

Being shortlisted for the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards is a significant achievement and reflects the dedication, expertise, and commitment that both Lewis and Kathy bring to their work every day.

Everyone at Duncan Lewis Solicitors congratulates them on this well-deserved recognition and wishes them the very best for the awards ceremony in July.

About Duncan Lewis Solicitors

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is a multi-award-winning national law firm recognised for its commitment to justice and high-quality legal services. Its solicitors provide representation across 25 areas of law. The firm is consistently ranked as top-tier by Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500, and is named in The Times Best Law Firms. Headquartered in the City of London, Duncan Lewis holds Investors in People Gold and Law Society Lexcel accreditations, reflecting its focus on excellence, innovation, and its people.