Watkins Solicitors’ Managing Partner Wins Prestigious Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Award for Family Legal Aid, Including Children’s Rights
We are thrilled to share that Bristol-based Managing Partner Beverley Watkins, at Watkins Solicitors, has been named the winner of the 2025 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year (LALY) Award in the category of Family Legal Aid, including Children’s Rights, a national accolade that recognises her outstanding contribution to access to justice in the family courts.
The LALY Awards, now in their 23rd year and organised by the Legal Aid Practitioners Group (LAPG), are widely recognised as one of the highest honours in the legal aid sector. Beverley’s win is a proud and significant moment for the entire Watkins Solicitors team, celebrating her tireless commitment to justice and more than 30 years of dedicated service to families across England and Wales.
A Lifetime Dedicated to Family Justice
In an emotional tribute at the ceremony in London on 4 July, the presenters described Beverley as:
“Beverley is Managing Partner of her firm, Watkins Solicitors, and anyone who saw her last year - or this year - will know that this woman can dress!
Beverley has been a legal aid lawyer for over 30 years, managing her own complex caseload for children, education and domestic abuse.
As well as running her firm, she is described as championing all that is good about a holistic approach, prioritising the needs of her clients, and the needs of children.
She is described as having ‘unmatched skill and enthusiasm for changing the system’.
Beverley is also known for supporting the next generation of legal aid lawyers.”
The award recognises Beverley’s longstanding commitment to legal aid, her leadership within the family law sector, and her reputation as a tenacious yet empathetic advocate for parents, carers, and children in need of expert support.
As the founder and Managing Partner of Watkins Solicitors, Beverley has not only built one of the UK’s leading law firms for education and family law, but has also maintained an unwavering commitment to the legal aid sector, even during times of significant funding cuts and systemic pressure.
Beverley’s Response
Reacting to the award, Beverley said:
“It is a tremendous honour to receive this award, and I feel deeply humbled to be recognised among such an inspiring group of legal aid lawyers.
It was a real pinch-me moment, I really could not believe it.
Legal aid is not easy work, but it is vital. It demands care, technical skill, and an unshakable belief in fairness.
I remain as committed as ever, not only to the families we serve, but to supporting and encouraging the next generation of legal aid lawyers who will carry this essential work forward. That commitment is not easy, especially given that there has been no increase in legal aid rates for almost 30 years.”
About the LALY Awards
The LALY Awards are a celebration of lawyers and legal professionals working on the social justice frontline. Hosted annually by LAPG, they spotlight individuals and organisations who go above and beyond in the face of increasing challenges within the legal aid system.
Finalists are selected by an independent panel of judges following nominations from colleagues, clients, and partner organisations.
The 2025 LALY Awards featured nine award categories and an Outstanding Achievement Award, and were attended by over five hundred legal professionals.
A Landmark Moment for Bristol’s Legal Community
Beverley’s award stands as a landmark achievement not just for Watkins Solicitors, but also for the legal aid community in the South West. It represents a strong message of resilience and excellence at a time when legal aid faces significant challenges.
https://youtu.be/G5di35cNazg?si=c8qWq7FOrCz2nfXy