At London’s Hilton on Park Lane hotel this week, two Torpoint barristers stood out at the Legal 500’s UK Bar Awards.
Ian Brownhill of 39 Essex Chambers took home the award for Court of Protection and Community Care Junior of the Year, and Sean Aughey of Essex Court Chambers was nominated for International Arbitration Counsel Junior of the Year. Mr Aughey’s colleague in chambers, Ben Juratowitch KC, also took home the title of International Arbitration Silk of the Year.
Hosted by The Legal 500’s global Bar editor, Will Tolcher, The Legal 500 Bar Awards recognises individuals at the elite of the advocacy profession, spanning barristers across the length and breadth of England and Wales as well as clerks, arbitrators and other professionals in chambers. The leading awards for barristers in England and Wales, it recognises top practitioners in all areas from criminal law through to technology.
In his introductory address, Mr Tolcher said: “It’s great to see so many of us together, either again after last year’s awards or who are here for the first time.
“Alas we’ve had to brave rail strikes on two consecutive years, but that’s not the only thing that hasn’t changed: it’s always a pleasure to get together to celebrate excellence from everyone in chambers across the length and breadth England and Wales.
“Tonight’s shortlistees and winners have been selected as part of the independent research for the world-leading legal directory – nothing more, nothing less. And for that, I’d like to thank my colleagues in the research team. Not just for the challenging task of choosing tonight’s winners - a tough task given the talent at the Bar and in clerks rooms — and also putting together the most ambitious edition of the Bar guide to date.”
Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, shortly before he was announced as winner, Mr Brownhill said: “Tonight, two lads from a small Cornish state school were nominated for awards at The Legal 500 Bar awards. The Bar is changing!”
For more information on the Legal 500, visit www.legal500.com