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Judges

An independent panel from across the profession judge the Yorkshire Legal Awards every year

The judges receive, review and score your submissions for the categories being contested at the Yorkshire Legal Awards, to recognise the best organisations, teams and practitioners the region’s profession has to offer.

They will meet virtually around two weeks after the entry deadline to finalise the shortlist and confirm their winners.

The judges are always experienced professionals hailing from a variety of trade associations and societies, ensuring that they’ll bring years of experience and expertise to the judging process whilst remaining impartial.

They are chosen for their positions at organisations that represent the profession, have no financial ties with the Yorkshire Legal Awards, and must declare conflicts of interest and not participate in the judging of any categories where a conflict exists.

During the judging process, the judges must deliver a score for each submission considered. An average of all of the judges’ scores for each submission in that category is then taken, to come to a final determination that is as free as possible from bias.

David Barraclough Chair of the Access to Justice Foundation Read Bio
Eleanor Temple Co-chair of the Yorkshire Pro Bono Committee Read Bio
Emma Pearmaine Vice President of The Yorkshire Union of Law Societies Read Bio
Louisa Soper Co-chair of the Yorkshire Pro Bono Committee
Sophie Hudson Vice Chair of the Leeds Junior Lawyers Division
David Barraclough Chair of the Access to Justice Foundation

After practicing in Leeds as a commercial property solicitor for more than forty years David is now retired from practice.

In addition to his involvement with Leeds Law Society being a Director and a Past President, David is a Law Society Council Member representing Yorkshire, Immediate Past President of the Yorkshire Union of Law Societies, Chair of the Access to Justice Foundation Yorkshire and Honorary President of the Yorkshire Pro Bono Committee.

David is also the Under Sheriff of West Yorkshire and a Trustee of the Royal Yorkshire Regiment.

Eleanor Temple Co-chair of the Yorkshire Pro Bono Committee

Eleanor serves as the Chair of the NECCBA and the Co-Chair of the Yorkshire Pro Bono Committee. Additionally, she regularly sits as a Recorder for both the North Eastern and Northern Circuits and as a Deputy District Judge on the North Eastern Circuit.

Emma Pearmaine Vice President of The Yorkshire Union of Law Societies

Emma Pearmaine is managing director of Ridley and Hall Solicitors, with 4 offices across West and South Yorkshire.  

Emma is a winner of the Yorkshire Legal Awards Managing Partner of the Year Award 2020. 

Emma is also vice president of the Yorkshire Union of Law Societies, past president of Leeds Law Society and member of their executive committee. 

Emma is married and is the very proud mother of 2 ‘grown up’ sons. In her spare time, she loves to be with her family and friends, she cooks up a storm in the kitchen, enjoys walking the dog in the countryside and loves curling up with a good book. 

 

Louisa Soper Co-chair of the Yorkshire Pro Bono Committee
Sophie Hudson Vice Chair of the Leeds Junior Lawyers Division

Are you ready to enter The Yorkshire Legal Awards 2025?

The Yorkshire Legal Awards brings together the region’s legal community to recognise and celebrate its many achievements.

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