Baroness Harriet Harman, PC, KC, one of the longest-serving Members of Parliament in UK history, has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Inspirational Women in Law Awards run by The Next 100 Years; the successor project to the First 100 Years founded by Dana Denis-Smith, CEO of Obelisk Solutions.
In their ninth year the awards, hosted by Clifford Chance, recognise inspiring women who have had a significant impact across 10 different categories, listed in full below. The audience of circa 370 people was addressed by Justice of the Supreme Court, Lady Simler DBE, who presented the Rising Star of the Year award to Jessikah Inaba, who is the UK’s first blind Black barrister. Stephanie Boyce, the first black president of the Law Society presented the solicitor of the year award to Jacqueline McGuigan, co-founder and principal of TMP Solicitors, while Millicent Grant, the first black president of CILEX, presented the CILEX lawyer of the year award to Sally Sargesson at Irwin Mitchell.
Since entering Parliament in 1982, Baroness Harman has been considered as politics’ most prominent champion for women’s rights and widely celebrated for paving the way for real, sustainable equality, most notably, by introducing the National Childcare Strategy and Equality Act, as a minister in the Labour Government.
After starting her career as a solicitor at Brent Law Centre in 1974, Baroness Harman became Legal Officer to Liberty (formally the National Council for Civil Liberties) and was elected as MP for Peckham in 1982, when she was eight months pregnant. She was one of only 10 Labour women MPs at the time.
The distinguished politician has held various influential roles, including Secretary of State for Social Security and the first Minister for Women, where she advanced policies like the minimum wage and improved childcare provisions. Her leadership during her tenure as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and her role as a prominent advocate for women in politics solidified her reputation as a political trailblazer.
In 2017 she became the longest serving woman MP, requiring the fond title of ‘Mother of the House of Commons’. Following her 40-year tenure, Baroness Harman stepped down as an MP at the 2024 general election and was appointed to the House of Lords.
This year’s additional award winners are:
- Barrister of the Year: Emma-Louise Fenelon, 1 Crown Office Row. In addition to her expertise in areas including public inquiries personal injury and human rights, Fenelon is a prolific podcaster and contributor to online legal commentary. Her podcast ‘Law Pod UK’ has significantly raised public awareness of complex legal issues by providing accessible educational content.
- Solicitor of the Year: Jacqueline McGuigan, Co-Founder and Principal of TMP Solicitors. McGuigan’s leadership and expertise in employment and discrimination law have made a significant impact in advocating for fair treatment in the workplace. Successfully representing whistleblowers and employees in high-profile cases.
- Champion of the Year: Molly Lewis, lawyer and Associate in the commercial dispute resolution group at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Alongside her experience across multiple business sectors, including financial institutions, professional services firms and corporates, Lewis dedicates many hours to supporting multiple social mobility schemes. Including her work as a board member of PRIME Commitment, a social mobility organisation that works to challenge barriers for students from less privileged backgrounds, and mentors students on its Aspiring Solicitors START and APP schemes.
- Paralegal of the Year: Gbemi Akanbi, recently held positions at King Street Capital and Clyde & Co. Akanbi is an expert in immigration and family law and demonstrates a consistent commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion through the founding of non-profit organisation, BlackWomenAspiringLawyers and as a Masterclass Programme candidate at the Patchwork Foundation, a charity that encourages the positive integration of underrepresented, disadvantaged and minority communities into British political society.
- In-House Lawyer of the Year: Tamina Greaves, Crown Prosecution Service. Greaves plays a pivotal role in advising on complex criminal matters, making key decisions on investigations and managing cases from start to finish. Additionally, as co-chair of Birmingham Black Lawyers, Tamina is actively working to increase diversity within the legal profession, particularly in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
- Rising Star of the Year: Jessikah Inaba, Inner Temple. Inaba broke through multiple glass ceilings to become the first blind Black barrister in the UK. A historic achievement made more remarkable by the fact she studied without access to key learning materials, due to delays in braille transcription. Jessikah is also a vocal advocate for accessibility in education and the workplace.
- Legal Academic of the Year: Professor Paula Giliker, University of Bristol and Author. An impressive legal academic who has made outstanding contributions to legal academia, particularly in the field of comparative and European private law. One of her recent achievements includes the publication of the third edition of her book, Vicarious Liability in Tort: A Comparative Perspective, which has become a leading text in the field. Her work significantly influences both academic discourse and practical legal application, particularly in understanding the complexities of liability law across different jurisdictions.
- Law Student of the Year: Jodiann Gayle, student and founder of Legalnable. An exceptional law student who has displayed her commitment to diversity and inclusion in the legal industry by founding Legalnable, a platform aimed at making legal information more accessible to the public. In addition to her academic excellence, demonstrated by her strong performance in national mooting competitions, Gayle’s initiative with Legalnable highlights her commitment to empowering others through legal knowledge.
- CILEX Lawyer of the Year: Sally Sargesson, CILEX lawyer at Irwin Mitchell. Sargesson demonstrates her dedication to fostering the next generation of legal talent by actively supporting junior lawyers and paralegals alongside her work on complex and contentious probate and inheritance disputes.
- Mentor of the Year: Anuja Dhir KC, Circuit Judge at the Old Bailey. Dhir has dedicated her career to fostering talent and promoting diversity within the legal field, serving as Master of Students and Master of Debates at Gray’s Inn. Recently, she has been actively involved in mentoring candidates for judicial appointments.
Denis-Smith said: “This is our ninth celebration of female role models in law and each year the emerging talent and long-standing trail blazers of our industry continue to demonstrate why they deserve to be decorated. As one of the longest-serving Members of Parliament in UK history, Baroness Harman has continuously advocated for women in and out of politics and tirelessly worked to establish equality and implement social reform which continues to have an enduring impact on British society and politics. This award marks her relentless achievements and position as a universal source of inspiration for all women within the legal sector.”
Last year’s guest speaker, Baroness Carr, Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales, provided the foreword for Obelisk Support’s Women Who Will report 2024, launched on the night, which honours the women emerging as future leaders of the industry.