Judges

A director in Switalskis child abuse department, Amy represents victims of child abuse to achieve justice. Her specialism is child sexual exploitation and grooming.

Amy heads a team of lawyers dealing with the high-profile Rotherham grooming scandal. This work is highly specialised and complex. The team’s work brought the failings of the Local Authority and South Yorkshire Police into the national spotlight. She was shortlisted for Rising Star at the Yorkshire Legal Awards 2021.

Amy is the firm’s Training Principal and supports Switalskis cohort of Graduate Solicitor Apprentices. As part of this role, she organises in-house training for junior members of the firm. She is also a Mental and Physical Health First Aider and is an advocate for positive mental health practices.

Outside of work Amy is currently a Council Member for Yorkshire and Humberside and is the Education Representative for the Yorkshire Union of Law Societies. She also sits as Co-Vice Chair on the Law Society’s Civil Justice Committee. Amy has worked with various local Junior Lawyers Divisions and was elected as the Chair of the Junior Lawyers Division of The Law Society of England and Wales for the year 2018-19 representing approximately 75,000 junior lawyers. During her term she concentrated on sexual harassment and bullying, mental health and protections for junior lawyers in light of recent high –profile decisions (at that time) of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal to strike-off junior lawyers. Amy continues to take a keen interest in ensuring that the profession remains diverse, accessible and develops talent.

Hi, I’m Darcey Sutcliffe, an associate at Mills & Reeve LLP in the Commercial team. I advise clients on complex commercial contracts in a range of sectors including the government and defence. I also advise authorities and bidders on a range of public procurement matters. I am also the Vice-Chair of the Leeds Junior Lawyers Division. It is great to be part of the junior lawyers community in Leeds, putting on a variety of events and creating a safe, enjoyable space for junior lawyers.

Outside of work you can often find me on a run, reading or locating the best coffee and pastry spots around!

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 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 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. 

Jason Pitter KC is the leader of the North Easter Circuit and practices from New Park Court Chambers, Leeds.  He is recognised in the fields of serious crime, professional misconduct and regulatory enforcement and compliance.  As such he routinely features in high profile cases attracting national attention.   

He is a recorder of the Crown Court, bencher at Gray’s Inn and sits on the Bar Council.  He is heavily involved in work surrounding access to justice, equity within the legal profession and community engagement. 

Nick Emmerson is a solicitor, immediate past president of the Law Society of England and Wales, and judge. He has 25+ years as an international corporate lawyer admitted in four jurisdictions and is fluent in Japanese. He is an Asia specialist.

Nick led the 200,000+ solicitor profession as its president. He has the highest level experience in strategic influencing and communications including public affairs, campaigning and media. Nick has negotiated international trade liberalisation deals, particularly with India and Japan; championed diversity in the judiciary; and he has extensive media exposure as the public face of the legal profession during the 2024 riots that targeted lawyers.