2022 City of London Company Prize

Alexander Westin-Hardy, a Trainee Solicitor from Allen & Overy, has been selected as the winner of the City of London Solicitors’ Company Prize 2022, awarded every year to an up-and-coming City law firm trainee. 

This year’s prize saw an outstanding number of applicants enter. They were judged on the basis of a 500-word essay titled “How should City law firms respond to the worldwide climate emergency?”. 

Alexander’s winning essay argued that City law firms are uniquely placed to respond to the worldwide climate emergency. By embracing sustainability measures, utilising lawyers as force multipliers, and leveraging expertise in environmental regulations, firms can capitalise on new business opportunities while making a real difference.  

A shortlist of finalists was invited to attend an interview with the Master of the City of London Solicitors’ Company, Robert Bell of Memery Crystal LLP, and the Vice-Chair of the City of London Law Society Training Committee, Julia Robinson of Ropes & Gray LLP. 

Alexander Westin-Hardy commented: “It is a privilege to have been awarded this prize and I am grateful for the support I received throughout the process. The focus on climate change, and the legal sector’s role in responding to it, is an important topic, and I thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to explore the unique position City law firms hold in changing the world for the better. I would like to thank Julia Robinson and Robert Bell for the insightful conversation we were able to have on the matter, and I look forward to seeing similar initiatives in the coming months.”   

Keep an eye out for Alexander’s full article in the upcoming Autumn Edition of CitySolicitor Magazine.