Hudgell Solicitors’ James Camidge has been named Trainee Solicitor of the Year at the 2022 Yorkshire Legal Awards, recognising his ‘exceptional legal work’ and ‘astounding’ feedback from his clients.
It follows a year in which he has worked on some of the highest-profile legal cases in the country, supporting his colleagues and the families he represents.
Having secured his three-year LLB Law degree from Newcastle University, James started his training contract with Hudgells in March 2021 and is due to qualify in April 2023.
He combines his demanding work at the firm with his Legal Practice Course studies at the University of Law in Manchester.
Already, he has played a key role in the firm’s work representing families of those who lost loved ones in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, and over the past 18 months has attended hundreds of sessions of the Public Inquiry alongside clients.
‘Showing maturity well beyond his years’
Terry Wilcox, Public Inquiries Manager at Hudgell Solicitors, says James’ work has been essential, providing ‘exceptional client care support’ to families who have had to endure hearing heart-breaking evidence relating to their loved ones final moments.
James has been exceptional throughout our work on the Manchester Arena Public Inquiry, showing maturity well beyond his years to become our key contact for the families we represent.
He has immersed himself in the case, ensuring he knows at all times what evidence is about to be heard or presented to the inquiry, and that has allowed him to act almost as an early warning system for our clients, ensuring he is able to prepare them ahead of difficult and emotional aspects of the hearing, which at times they have decided they may not want to see or hear.
The feedback from families with regards to the support they have had from James has been astounding.
James is always ready to be called upon, whether it be to attend hearings, support and prepare paperwork for colleagues and senior counsel or to give up his time to support good community causes. He takes on every task with enthusiasm and energy.
Work has included inquests and Post Office Horizon Scandal
After receiving the award James said:
Although my name is on the award, I feel like I need to cut it into pieces and share it with the wider department, because the support, guidance, and supervision I have had has been top-tier.
Another case James worked on over the past 12 months was the firm’s representation of the families of four young men who were murdered by serial killer Stephen Port at inquests.
Attending at hearings, he supported leading counsel in providing daily paperwork and reports for them to prepare for hearings, and for the questioning of key witnesses.
Other significant cases James has been involved with include the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, at which he has attended and taken notes on evidence heard, and an inquest into the death of a man who was found to have been ‘unlawfully killed’ when he died after being restrained by security staff working at Manchester Victoria train station.
As a member of Manchester Trainee Solicitors Group, and Junior Lawyers Against Poverty, he also puts many extra hours of his time each week beyond his working day to learn more about the profession and develop his own skills.
James said:
I am thrilled with this award. What I love most about being a trainee with Hudgell Solicitors is the opportunities I have been given to work alongside senior solicitors with decades of experience, on some of the biggest and most important cases handled by the firm.
The work we do can often be emotional and testing, so this support network is essential. I am also thankful every day of the clients we have the honour of representing. They have often been through the most unimaginably difficult time, so to be able to offer support, personal and legal, is the ultimate privilege.
Whether it is explaining a complex legal process or simply being a familiar presence during difficult hearings, supporting clients is what I find most fulfilling. I think it is easy to work hard when this is your motivation. It was also great to hear about the amazing work and legal talent Yorkshire has to offer.