Paul Rumley awarded for his fight against the withdrawal of Legal Aid
Paul Rumley, Withy King's clinical negligence partner, has received an Outstanding Achievement award for his efforts to raise awareness of the devastating impact the Government’s proposed Legal Aid Reforms Bill will have on severely disabled children.
Paul's “It’s not about us, it’s about them” campaign which he is waging , saw him lobby all 649 elected MPs, including the Bill Scrutiny Committee, to improve their understanding of the implications of the proposals on the lives of people who are injured while in the care of medical professionals. Paul’s suggested points and amendments to the Bill were used as supporting information in the Committee minutes by Andy Slaughter, Labour party spokesperson and Shadow Justice Minister.
He has also developed relationships with national charities, such as the Erbs Palsy Group, as well as industry bodies and the media, in an effort to highlight what he sees as “totally unacceptable consequences” of withdrawing Legal Aid funding.
Paul’s campaign was recognised at Bristol Law Society’s annual awards ceremony and gala dinner where he was presented with the Outstanding Achievement award by the Law Society’s President, Simon Staples (pictured right), and Viv Williams, CEO at 360 Legal Group, the award category sponsor (left).
“I am honoured to receive this award and hope that it will draw further attention to the proposed Legal Aid Reforms,” said Paul Rumley. “Many people have struggled to understand the scope of the new measures and what they will mean for those without the financial means to bring their cases forward as well as those in public life who are required to vote on them.
“I have also tried hard to dispel the impression that lawyers are against the proposed changes for purely selfish reasons by highlighting some of the many thousands of stories of lives changed forever by medical mistakes. How low will we have stooped as a society if the Government succeeds in withdrawing all Legal Aid funding, leaving severely disabled children, without the means to access justice and the remedial care they require?”