Star solicitor: National Award for Switalskis Director and Solicitor Advocate Ranjit Uppal

A Yorkshire solicitor has been recognised in the capital as one of the best in his field this year.

Ranjit Uppal, Director at law firm Switalskis Solicitors has been crowned ‘Solicitor Advocate of the Year’ at the 2016 Law Society Excellence Awards in London.

The highly prestigious national awards celebrate the very best in legal talent from across the country.

On receiving his award Ranjit said: “I feel hugely honoured and humbled for my work to be recognised in this way.

“It’s a tremendous accolade not just for me personally, but also my firm who do not shy away from supporting the most vulnerable children and families in society. At a time when access to family justice is out of reach for so many people, I feel privileged to be able to do the work I do.”

Ranjit, who has practised Family and Children Law for nearly 20 years, is one of a growing number of solicitors in the UK with Higher Rights of Audience.

His work protecting the legal rights of children and families both in the UK and in cross-border matters has made him a well-respected Solicitor-Advocate in the Northern legal community.

Ranjit sits as a Deputy District Judge in civil and family courts; is a member of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court Committee in West Yorkshire; and works pro-bono for Substitute Families for Abandoned Children (SFAC) providing consultation and training on legal matters relating to work overseas.

For the past eight years, Ranjit has excelled in providing international legal training to foreign lawyers, judiciary and government/non-government organisations on advocacy and best practice.

Regularly travelling to Uganda and Brazil, Ranjit lectures on a pro-bono basis on law issues regarding family and children.

Ranjit was also part of the team of lawyers from Huddersfield Law Society who were ‘highly commended’ at the awards for their pro-bono work on the Uganda Twinning Project.

The group unites and develops the legal community locally and internationally through training and helps promote good governance and respect for rights and the rule of law.