University honours law reform champion

16 Jul 2013

The University has presented an Outstanding Alumnus Award to Michael Napier, one of the most creative and innovative lawyers of his generation and a highly effective champion of the reform and modernisation of the civil justice system.

He is one of five former students being presented with the award during the summer graduation.

Our Outstanding Alumni Awards are given to those who have achieved distinction in their profession, through exemplary service to the University or the wider community or through outstanding service of a personal or humanitarian nature.

Michael Napier CBE QC, LLB (Ord) 1967, was presented with the award by the Faculty of Humanities

During a long and successful legal career he has had a major influence on reform of legal services and has been at the centre of core changes in the delivery of legal services, law reform, access to justice issues and major cases. Michael also led the top 20 law firm, Irwin Mitchell, from which he retired in May 2012 after 40 years.

He has also worked closely with the University, and in 2000 as President of the Law Society, Michael launched the Legal Advice Centre on campus and supported and promoted both the Legal Advice Centre and the School of Law.

Michael was voted ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in the 2012 Legal Business awards for his 30 years as senior partner leading Irwin Mitchell, where he took the firm from ‘from a small Sheffield practice to the national powerhouse it is today’. He is widely regarded as a progressive thinker and influential architect of major reforms to the civil justice system and fundamental changes in the market for legal services.