Lucy Mair wins ‘Barrister of the Year’ at Greater Manchester Pro Bono Awards 2026
6 November 2026
Garden Court North’s Lucy Mair (centre) was recognised for her principled commitment to undertaking a wide variety of pro bono work. Credit: Garden Court North Chambers.
Garden Court North is delighted to share that Lucy Mair won the ‘Barrister of the Year’ award at the Greater Manchester Pro Bono Awards 2026, held yesterday (5 November 2026) in the Manchester Civil Justice Centre.
The annual awards, which celebrate the exceptional contributions of individuals and organisations to pro bono work across Greater Manchester, acknowledge and celebrate those who have demonstrated a deep commitment to access to justice and community service.
Lucy’s work for Garden Court North’s immigration team embodies such values. Since the outset of her legal career, Lucy has prioritised her principled commitment to undertaking pro bono work. She has a background working for international human rights organisations in refugee contexts, and understands the importance of assisting vulnerable clients who are not able to access lawyers or funding.
Lucy’s impact has been wide-ranging and significant, from representing clients in immigration detention centres pro bono in bail hearings for the charity Bail for Immigration Detainees, to taking on family reunion cases to help refugees to reunite with their families after winning their asylum claims in the UK.
Moreover, Lucy has also taken on the role of pupil supervisor over the last three years, encouraging and mentoring all three of her pupils to undertake pro bono work, which they have all described as extremely rewarding work.
Lucy’s win marks the second year in a row that a member of Garden Court North has won the ‘Barrister of the Year’ Award at the Greater Manchester Pro Bono Awards, following Christian Weaver’s win last year.
Upon winning the ‘Barrister of the Year’ award, Lucy said:
“I am so honoured to have won this award and so grateful to the Greater Manchester Pro Bono Committee and the pro bono committees across the country promoting this type of work, which is needed now more than ever. I came to the bar after a career working in international human rights and refugee contexts globally, and with a desire to ensure that those most impacted by grave human rights abuses and refugee-producing crises are able to vindicate their rights in the UK. It has been an immense privilege to do this work from a Chambers which champion the rights of the most vulnerable, with professional and lay clients who have entrusted me with their cases.”
“In my particular field, as immigration legal aid has been rolled back, migrant rights have become curtailed and the hostile environment for both refugees and their legal representatives has expanded, it is more vital than ever that lawyers commit to ensuring quality legal advice and representation for the most marginalised. Many of the migrant victims of domestic violence, survivors of modern day slavery/trafficking, immigration detainees and recognised refugees desperate to reunify with their families in the UK, whom I have represented, would not have been able to access justice without the pro bono work of the most dedicated not-for-profit organisations, university law clinics and immigration legal aid solicitors. In accepting this award I would like to pay particular tribute to all of them, and their tireless dedication to migrant justice.”
For further information, please contact Alex Blair, Communications Manager at Garden Court North Chambers: ablair@gcnchambers.co.uk
