Swindon family solicitor Rebecca Stevens’ free legal advice to a father with learning disabilities in a custody battle has earned her firm Withy King a place on the shortlist for the legal sector’s top ethical award.
Rebecca, pictured, who works in Withy King’s Swindon office, provided more than 100 hours of pro bono support to the father, who was battling to prevent Swindon Council from having his young son adopted.
Rebecca’s efforts were praised by the Head of Family Justice in England and Wales, Sir James Munby, in a court judgment in which he threw a spotlight on the lack of funding available for legal representation in such cases. 
The father was not eligible for legal aid, despite being on a modest income, but could not afford private legal representation. Sir James said Rebecca had acted “in the highest traditions of the profession” by waiving her fee.
Withy King nominated Rebecca for the prestigious 2015 Lawyer Awards and the firm is now competing against some of the UK’s top legal practices in the Ethical Initiative of the Year category.
Rebecca said: “It is an absolute honour to be shortlisted for this award. Times are changing for law firms and cuts to legal aid have had a devastating impact on the most vulnerable members of society.
“Being a viable business whilst continuing to offer legal aid is becoming increasingly difficult for most firms. I am very privileged to work with a team who are dedicated to undertaking legal aid work to help others and to work for a firm who is committed to upholding the traditional morals and ethics of the legal profession.
“Being a legal aid lawyer is not a job. It is a vocation and I am proud to work for a firm which values this.”
Withy King, which also has offices in Bath, Marlborough, Oxford, Abingdon, Thame, Headington and London, is up against seven other legal services providers – many of them heavyweight London-based firms operating internationally – for the award, which will be presented along with 25 others at a gala dinner to be held in London on June 23.
