Top award for Sunderland law firm

Jacqueline Emmerson and Michael Robinson of Emmersons Solicitors.

Emmersons Solicitors – which is based in John Street, Sunderland, and has an office in Gosforth, Newcastle – was named Small Law Firm of the Year at the recent Law Society Excellence awards.

The citation read: "Emmersons Solicitors impressed the judges with their commitment to public service through extensive work as LGBTQ campaigners and career mentors to young people."

The firm was established in the city in 1998 in by managing director Jacqueline Emmerson and now has 19 staff, providing a full range of legal services.

Jacqueline said: "This has been a very difficult year for everyone and so to win this award this year is a huge boost to all of our staff.

"They have done an amazing job this year keeping things going throughout the pandemic. They were cheering from their individual offices when it was announced that we had won.

"It was at that point that I realised just how much it meant to them as well as us. I would like to thank them all.”

Family law specialist Jacqueline says she is proud of her firm’s record in the community.

She is honorary solicitor for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association, her husband Michael Robinson – a director and a criminal law specialist at the firm – is a dementia champion and the firm has worked extensively for a number of years with the region's LGBTQ community.

Jacqueline also gives lectures to North East charities so their volunteers can have a better understanding of their clients’ legal needs.

Last year, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Wearside Women in Business Awards and the Emmersons team won the Corporate Social Responsibility Award at the Echo Portfolio Awards.

Jacqueline added: “To win this award really means a lot to us.

"We have made a lot of progress since 1998, particularly in the field corporate and social responsibility work, our work on LGBTQ law and mentoring young people.

"Back then, it really was a standing start and it is gratifying to see what we have achieved over the last twenty years.”