Tony Fisher, senior partner at Essex-based law firm Fisher Jones Greenwood, has been honoured for Lifetime Achievement at the Modern Law Awards.
The national event, held in London last week, celebrates top talent and best practice across the legal services arena.
Mr Fisher’s award recognised his “tireless enthusiasm for the legal profession, rule of law and access to justice and the impact that his work has had on thousands of individuals, students, lawyers and the general public, particularly those of modest means”.
The award also paid tribute to his passion for human rights and his work in that field that has seen him appear as an advocate at the European Court of Human Rights. He has also been influential in the release of lawyers imprisoned abroad, having communicated with the governments of countries including China, Egypt, Nigeria, Turkey and Iran.
Karl Chapman, chief executive of Riverview Law, who presented the award to Mr Fisher, said: “There is no-one more humble and deserving of such and award which I am really proud to present.”
Following the ceremony, Mr Fisher said: “I’m very grateful to receive this award and didn’t know it was going to happen, but I’m not accepting it just for me. It’s for all the brave lawyers out there in other countries who are doing such incredible things in such difficult circumstances.”
Fisher Jones Greenwood, which provides a full range of commercial and personal legal services, has been established for more than 30 years and now has a staff of around 160, with two offices in Colchester and others in Clacton-on-Sea, Chelmsford and Billericay as well as a presence in central London.
The firm is ranked in both the Chambers and Legal 500 guides and has received a series of awards, most recently last month when it was highly commended in the annual LawWorks Pro Bono awards, in recognition of its work with the Jaywick Sands Law Clinic.
In addition to his human rights work, Mr Fisher is head of the firm’s commercial department and also advises charities and educational establishments. He has wide experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate re-structuring and commercial contracts, and is an accredited dispute resolution mediator.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here