Leamington lawyer in final three for award

A Leamington lawyer has made it to the final three in the running for a prestigious regional award.

Claire-Elaine Arthurs from the property dispute resolution team at Wright Hassall is one of just three finalists on the shortlist for the Warwickshire Law Society Young Lawyer of the Year 2012.

The judging panel were impressed not only with her work with a key PLC client and on two ground-breaking cases but also by her involvement with a range of professional bodies.

Claire-Elaine, 32, is the Coventry and Warwickshire branch chair of the Association of Women Solicitors and has worked to extend the reach of the Women in Property into Warwickshire.

As well as this, Claire-Elaine was instrumental in launching the Coventry First mentoring scheme that matches senior professionals in the area with graduates or juniors starting out in their career.

The winner of the award is due to be announced at the Warwickshire Law Society’s annual dinner on Friday, November 16 at the Village Hotel in Coventry.

Claire-Elaine said: “There are a large number of talented young solicitors in our region so it is fantastic to have made it down to the final three for this award.

“At Wright Hassall we have one of the biggest property litigation teams outside of London, which means we attract a wide range of clients. The profile of our team and clients has meant that I have had the opportunity to work on some very interesting high-profile cases.

“Our team uses alternative dispute resolution methods in a cost effective way wherever possible and I think that helps us to stand out from the crowd.

“I was also heavily involved in the launch of Coventry and Warwickshire First’s mentoring scheme. This is extremely beneficial for both the mentors and the young professionals who benefit from their experience.

“It is hoped that the mentoring scheme will encourage more promising young professionals to take steps to build a long term career in our region and help to keep more of them in the area, rather than them leaving for Birmingham or London.”