A SOLICITOR has received a lifetime achievement award for nearly four decades of service to local government.

At a prestigious Lawyers in Local Government (LLG) National Award Ceremony, held earlier this morning online due to coronavirus, Dennis Hall, was awarded a lifetime achievement award for his 38 year career.

Mr Hall, from Chester-le-Street, was National Chair of the Law Society Local Government Group in 2003 and has worked at a senior managerial level in local authorities at Gateshead and Sedgefield.

He also served on a number of Law Society committees and on the boards of prominent public sector organisations in the region

The 63-year-old is now retired from local government but is vice chairman of North Lodge Parish Council, Chester-le-Street, and legal editor of a weekly national local government legal bulletin.

Originally from Stockton-on-Tees, he attended the town’s Grangefield Grammar School and then went to Manchester University and Northumbria University to gain honours and masters’ degrees in law.

Mr Hall said he was absolutely thrilled and honoured to receive the award and still celebrated even though it was only a virtual ceremonial occasion.

He said: “It would’ve been a thrill to attend in person the ceremony originally planned to take place at the Birmingham NEC Hilton, but my wife, Dorothy, and I still decided to have a celebratory meal at home with a few drinks on the night."

The LLG Lifetime Achievement Award recognises an individual’s longstanding commitment to the local government legal profession whilst upholding standards of public service and dedication to the work of LLG, a national organisation representing solicitors in local authorities across the country.