Lorna Cservenka wins Family Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Award

Lorna Cservenka, head of the Child Care department at Hanne & Co Solicitors' London office, has won the title of Family Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year at the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards 2011. The award ceremony took place in London on 28 June with the announcements made by Cherie Booth QC.

Lorna was selected for her work on the ground-breaking LB Richmond v B & W & B & CB [2010] EWHC 2903 (Fam) child care case in which a mother stood to lose her children if she was found to be abusing alcohol. 

Using dual-marker hair testing technology provided by Trimega Laboratories, Lorna succeeded in persuading the court that the mother had not been drinking, and this outcome was instrumental in reuniting her with her children. A previous single test conducted by another provider had suggested that the mother had been drinking.

The mother wrote at the time of Lorna's nomination: "She believed what I was saying and was relentless in getting more information on hair strand testing and helping me challenge the results."

Jordan Publishing will be launching it own awards ceremony, the Family Law Awards, in October 2011. To enter your nominations visit www.familylawawards.com.