Essex Law School shortlisted twice in LexisNexis Legal Awards

Essex Law School is mixing with some of the biggest names in the legal industry after it received a double nomination in the prestigious LexisNexis legal awards. 

The annual awards celebrate the success and achievements of organisations and individuals across the UK legal industry.

The University of Essex has joined with some of the biggest law firms and barristers in UK law on the shortlists.

Essex Law Clinic has been nominated for The Halsbury Award for Rule of Law, while a new module offered by the Law School, Commercial Awareness, has been shortlisted for the University Commercial Impact Award.

The Law Clinic’s nomination comes due to its commitment in ensuring the rule of law is upheld.

The Clinic, which offers free legal advice in areas such as homelessness, immigration and family law, ensures vulnerable people in Colchester and North Essex have access to justice. Staff and students work together to deliver legal advice, interventions and training, working alongside charities, non-profit organisations, and local authorities.

Clinic Director, Liz Fisher-Frank, said: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for this highly prestigious award recognising the rule of law and its importance in terms of ensuring all individuals are treated with fairness and respect.

“Improving access to the law and to legal advice in our local community is at the heart of what we, as a clinic, do. For staff and our much-valued student volunteers, it is fantastic that our clinic has been recognised in this way.”

The Law School’s shortlisting in the University Commercial Impact category, which is new for this year, recognises the success of the Commercial Awareness module.

The prize recognises universities that excel in equipping law students with ‘strong commercial awareness’ and ‘strategic thinking skills’.

The nomination is linked to a new module launched for law students in 2024, Commercial Awareness.

Designed with the help and expertise of the Essex Startups team, the module aims to enhance the student learning experience, as well as equip students with a strong, practical understanding of business and the commercial world.

Penny Brearey-Horne, of Essex Law School, said: “I am delighted that our Commercial Awareness module has been shortlisted for the LexisNexis Legal Awards.

“The collaboration between Essex Law School and Essex Startups, with our focus on developing students’ confidence in understanding themselves and the organisations they work with, helps students prepare for professional graduate employment.

“We hope that national recognition of the module will inspire our current and future students.”

Emily Osborne, Enterprise Officer in the Essex Startups Team, said "It has been a great opportunity to work closely with the Essex Law School on an accredited module to support our final year Law students.

“Taking an interactive and immersive approach to this module presented a new way of embedding commercial awareness training in a way that will further enhance our students' prospects when applying for their training contracts."

The winners will be announced during a special awards ceremony at the Park Plaza London Riverbank on 13 March.