The Manchester Legal Awards have entered their fourteenth year of recognising and celebrating the best of the legal industry in the region. The 2023 shortlist has now been announced and we are excited to have been shortlisted in two categories.

Inquests Partner Kelly Darlington has been shortlisted for Solicitor of the Year, recognising her work over the past 12 months advising families in high-profile cases, such as the inquest into the death of Awaab Ishak in a mould infested flat in Rochdale and the inquest into the death of Rowan Thompson whilst an inpatient at the Gardener Unit, a mental health unit in Prestwich.

During her work on the Ishak inquest, Kelly was named Lawyer of the Week in The Times and the Law Society Gazette. She successfully assisted Awaab’s family in lobbying with the Housing Minister Michael Gove to change legislation with regards to the Social Housing Regulation Bill, resulting in the introduction of Awaab’s Law. Kelly was also recently made a Partner at the firm, having worked her way up from being a trainee solicitor with Farleys.

Farleys has also received a shortlisting in the category of Law Firm of the Year – Medium. This follows an exciting year of growth for the firm which has seen us strengthen our teams across our offices in Manchester and Lancashire, as well as our expansion into Rawtenstall through our acquisition of Mulderrigs Solicitors.

The Manchester Legal Awards have become an institution in the city, bringing together the most talented firms and individuals across 21 categories including teams, solicitors, barristers, and apprentices.

Back in 2015, Farleys’ criminal law department were the proud recipients of the award for Crime Team of the Year. Since then, we’ve been shortlisted several times for Law Firm of the Year amongst many high calibre firms.

Kelly Darlington commented,

I’m delighted to have been shortlisted for Solicitor of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards, it’s a real honour. I’m passionate about helping people through what can be a difficult and emotional process and ensuring they have the support they need to get the answers they’re looking for.

Ian Liddle, managing partner, added,

“It’s been a strong year for the firm across a difficult national backdrop so we are proud to have been shortlisted in recognition of this. We’re also very pleased to see Kelly receive her shortlisting. She has been an excellent ambassador for the firm, achieving some great results over the past 12 months, leading to her appointment as Partner earlier this year.”

The winners of the Manchester Legal Awards will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony in June.