A YORK solicitors’ firm has been shortlisted for a prestigious legal award. 


Howard & Byrne is in the running for the Criminal Law Firm of the Year category of the Yorkshire Legal Awards. 


One of its partners, Kevin Blount, said: “The public recognition means a lot. It is a high honour and it is putting us in some very prestigious company.”


The firm had to satisfy the judges in three categories: caseload, investment in people and community work. 


Mr Blount said it had a very wide caseload, including high profile, complex or highly sensitive cases across the world and a heavy workload in York courts, it has three trainee solicitors and, in conjunction with Exchange Chambers in Leeds, a pupil barrister, and in addition to the firm sponsoring local groups and a local motor racer, staff carry out charity fund-raising. 


It recently opened an office in Scarborough and has nine solicitors on the duty solicitor scheme for North Yorkshire in its total staff of more than 20.