Christian Weaver shortlisted for Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards 2023
24 May 2023
Christian Weaver has been shortlisted in the Legal Aid Newcomer category of the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards 2023.
Christian is a member of our Inquests and Inquiries team and also specialises in actions against the State and Parole Board work. He is the founder of the legal project ‘The Law in 60 Seconds’ and author of ‘The Law in 60 Seconds: A Pocket Guide to Your Rights’. In 2022, The Law in 60 Seconds co-hosted the UK’s first-ever public legal education conference with The Defendant and the University of Manchester.
The winners of all the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Award categories will be announced at a live ceremony in central London on 12 July.
Below are some excerpts from Christian’s nomination:
“Christian has helped us so much as a family. At the inquest he helped us to fight when we felt like no-one was listening to us. We appreciate what he has done for us as a family. After all that we have been through, Christian has helped to fight for us […] so that no-one else has to suffer the way that we did. We have felt there were signs of racism when the housing provider was dealing with us and that we were being ignored. Christian helped us feel like we have been listened to.”
“He was always so approachable with such humanity and understanding, listening, explaining and bringing clarity to what myself and the family found quite overwhelming and emotional. I have no idea how we would have navigated the inquest and represented ourselves. Christian’s calmness and kindness was uplifting and encouraging, his knowledge, questions and reflections helped us to focus on [our loved one] and doing our best for him. Christian has a really special quality.”
“Christian is a brilliant advocate and wonderful campaigner – he worked tirelessly in and outside the courtroom to get justice for Awaab Ishak. It is incredibly rare to find a barrister willing to campaign, going far beyond his work on an individual case, to affect change for millions. He deserves every accolade, and I am excited to see what he does next.”
“Christian first came to my attention with his ‘The Law in 60 Seconds’ video project, which breaks down complex legal issues into bite-size, easily-comprehensible pieces. The genius of this concept is its simplicity; in a way I am surprised that it hadn’t been done before. Christian has executed it flawlessly, and I brimmed with pride for him when, in 2021, his brainchild was turned into a bestselling, pocket-sized book. I often despair at the way that legalese is used to shut people out from understanding the law and the impact it has upon their lives, so I have nothing but awe for Christian and the contribution he has made to the public legal education in the UK.”
“Christian is a remarkable lawyer. It is clear from the people who have worked with him – both clients and solicitors – that he is an extremely capable advocate who is dedicated to his clients and knows the law well, but there is more that sets Christian apart. Very few households in the UK won’t have heard of Christian’s work alongside the family of Awaab Ishak. So far, the family have achieved systems change in Rochdale, legislative change nationally, and a renewed focus on ensuring that no person in 21st century Britain is allowed to live in squalid conditions. Awaab’s case ignited the public on an issue that had not previously attracted the attention it deserved. It even led to discussions about the scope of legal aid in mainstream media.”
“He has dedicated his time and energy to public legal education in an attempt to fill some of the gaps caused by LASPO and the dearth of legal and political education in schools. It is exceptionally unusual for someone so junior to think so strategically and creatively about what the law can do and to implement it, but this is exactly what Christian has done. He is a force for good in the legal aid sector and so deserving of this award.”
