Committee
Katie Brown (co-chair) is a solicitor in the social welfare department at TV Edwards LLP. Katie was shortlisted for the Young Legal Aid Solicitor of the Year in 2012.
Connor Johnston (co-chair and treasurer) is a barrister at Garden Court Chambers.
Laura Janes (founding member) is a solicitor. She works at Scott-Moncrieff and Associates where she represents children in custody. Laura founded YLAL in 2005. She stepped back from the day to day running of YLAL in June 2011, though remains actively involved in the group. Laura was the 2006 Young Legal Aid Solicitor of the Year.
Camilla Graham Wood is a solicitor at Birnberg Peirce and Partners specialising in actions against the police, unlawful detention and asylum claims. She won the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Newcomer award in 2014 and Junior Lawyer of the Year at the Law Society Excellence Awards 2014.
Charlie Image is a family solicitor at Wainwright Cummins LLP.
Carita Thomas is an immigration solicitor at Howells in Sheffield. Carita was shortlisted for immigration lawyer of the year at the LALYs in 2014.
Maia Cohen-Lask is a tenant at 2 Bedford Row.
Heather Thomas is a family solicitor at TV Edwards LLP.
Rachel Francis is a barrister at 1 Pump Court where she specialises in immigration law. She coordinates our mentoring scheme.
Simao Paxi-Cato is a barrister at Invictus Chambers London, where he specialises in social housing and immigration and asylum law. He is committed to widening access to the profession and volunteers with a number of advice agencies and charities.
Deena Blacking completed the BPTC in June 2013 and is a paralegal in the Civil Department at Hickman & Rose Solicitors, where she specialises in public law, police law, inquests, and international human rights law.
Alice Cullingworth is a solicitor at Irwin Mitchell Solicitors and provides housing law advice as a volunteer at the Brixton Advice Centre.
Emily McFadden is a trainee solicitor at Public Interest Lawyers. She helps run the YLAL Midlands group.
Emmeli Sundqvist is studying part time for the BPTC and volunteers as an Appropriate Adult. She helps run the YLAL Liverpool group.
Oliver Carter is a paralegal in the Public Law team at Irwin Mitchell, specialising in community care and civil liberties.
Natalie Wilkins is a barrister at Garden Court North.
Gimhani Eriyagolla is a trainee at Bhatt Murphy solicitors.
Samantha Regan is a solicitor at Manchester CAB specialising in housing law.
Gemma Blythe is a criminal caseworker at Kent Defence and our representative for the Kent YLAL group.
New committee members are generally selected by the existing committee on the basis of their contribution to the group. If you would like to become more involved in the running of YLAL please send an e-mail to ylalinfo@googlemail.com or speak to one of the committee at our monthly meetings