Solicitors Journal's Lifetime Achievement Award 2017 announced

Patrick Allen, senior partner of Hodge Jones & Allen, is to be honoured with a lifetime achievement award at this year's Solicitors Journal Awards: Recognising excellence in legal practice.

Allen qualified as a solicitor in 1977 and founded Hodge Jones & Allen in Camden the same year with Henry Hodge and Peter Jones. Managing partner from day one, Allen combined this role with that of senior partner following Hodge's retirement in 1998.

For the last 20 years, Allen has specialised in complex personal injury and multi-party cases, leading the HJA team that managed the Gulf War illness claims for UK veterans and the New Cross fire inquest. He also managed the MMR and Sheep Dip multi-party actions and played a lead role in the King's Cross Fire and Marchioness litigations.

From 2003 to 2005 Allen acted for a number of the women who had been incarcerated as slave labour workers in the so-called Magdalene laundries and who have since been awarded compensation by the Irish government. He was also instructed by the Bridgewater Four in their miscarriage of justice claim against the Home Office.

Allen served on the executive committee of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers from 1993 to 2006, was president in 2003/4, and an APIL Law Society council member from 2002 to 2006. He also sat as a deputy district judge from 1998 to 2014.

Speaking to Solicitors Journal ahead of the awards ceremony, Allen said he was 'incredibly flattered and honoured' to be awarded SJ's lifetime achievement gong for 2017.

'After seeing a friend wrongfully arrested and charged by the police at a demo in 1971, and later acquitted in courts, I realised that there was a political and socially useful side to the law. I decided on a career to help people, especially disadvantaged and vulnerable clients, assert or defend their rights against powerful opponents,' he said.

'I take great pride in the development of Hodge Jones & Allen, which after 40 years employs 230 people and still goes from strength to strength. Over the years we have helped over 200 lawyers to qualify in our field of work, and it has been my privilege to act for so many amazing clients and work with dedicated and brilliant colleagues.

'We have seen the importance of both legal aid and the Human Rights Act, but although both are under threat, giving up is not an option. Injustice is not going to disappear. I still have the same passion that the law and the courts can be a creative force for good.'

To learn more about Allen's career, read an exclusive interview with the HJA senior partner here.

The dazzling awards ceremony will be held on 17 May 2017 at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London, hosted by Brian Moore, ex-England rugby player and City lawyer. The evening will include a drinks reception, three-course dinner, the awards ceremony, and the awards after party. Find out more about the awards and see the shortlist here.

2017 Awards categories:

'¢Chambers of the Year

'¢Commercial Team of the Year

'¢Commercial Property Team of the Year

'¢Conveyancing Team of the Year

'¢Diversity Scheme of the Year

'¢Employment Team of the Year

'¢Family Team of the Year

'¢Law Firm of the Year

'¢Legal Aid Team of the Year

'¢Legal Education Provider of the Year

'¢Litigation Team of the Year

'¢Personal Injury Team of the Year

'¢Private Client Team of the Year

'¢Pro Bono Team of the Year

'¢Rising Star

'¢Working in Partnership

Two additional awards, Legal Personality of the Year and the new Rule of Law award, will also be presented on the night.

To find out more about attending the awards ceremony please contact Ciaran McManus on +44 (0)207 549 8673 or email ciaran.mcmanus@wilmingtonplc.com.

Follow @SJ_awards for more news on the awards and the live results on 17 May.