City of London Solicitors’ Company Prize 2026 Winners Announced

Christina Newall, Trainee Associate at Debevoise & Plimpton and Linda Worden, Trainee Solicitor at Slaughter and May have been jointly selected as the winners of the 2026 City of London Solicitors’ Company Prize, awarded annually to an aspiring trainee in the City who shows exceptional promise.

This year's prize saw applications judged on the basis of a 500-word essay answering the question: 'How can the Rule of Law sustain the stability and attractiveness of the City in an increasingly complex global landscape?'. A final shortlist of applicants then attended an interview with Rafique Khan, President of the City of London Solicitors' Company Rule of Law Society, and Rosie Warren-Cafferty from the City of London Law Society Training Committee. 

Both winning essays are currently featured on the CLLS’s Training Committee LinkedIn. In her submission, Christina draws on Dicey, Fuller and Lord Bingham to argue that the Rule of Law rests not on the existence of rules but on their fair and impartial application – and that legal certainty has real market value. London attracts business, she contends, not because it eliminates risk but because it enables risk to be priced, allocated and enforced on known terms. She points to recent reforms, including the Arbitration Act 2025 and the Property (Digital Assets etc.) Act 2025, as evidence of a legal system giving innovation a stable foundation.

Linda's essay brings the argument into everyday legal practice. Beginning with the durability of English common law, she makes the case that it is the Rule of Law in its broader cultural sense that sustains the City's standing – earned in the ordinary decisions practitioners make, from flagging a poorly redacted document to disclosing what is adverse to a client's case. Integrity, she argues, is more than an SRA principle. She closes with a set of challenges to the profession, from SLAPPs and sanctions evasion to poor disclosure practices and the unchecked use of artificial intelligence. 

Commenting on the prize, Christina Newall said: “I am delighted and honoured to be named joint winner of this year’s prize! I was particularly drawn to the competition because the rule of law is both a fundamental legal principle and something with real commercial significance for those practising in the City. In my essay, I wanted to explore how legal certainty and strong institutions allow businesses to navigate risk with confidence, and why preserving those qualities is increasingly important in a more uncertain global environment. It is a privilege to have my essay recognised by the City of London Solicitors’ Company, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the discussion of the role City lawyers play in upholding the rule of law.”

Linda Worden said: “This essay topic allowed me to reflect on the intersection between my personal and professional values, as well as my legal education and training at Slaughter and May. I am honoured to be selected as a joint winner, and grateful for the opportunity to write about the Rule of Law within a broader cultural context.”

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