Sharing his passion for law comes as second nature to Peter Rowlands, and it shows.
The legal services manager at Innersummit Professional Services has been named a finalist at the 2025 Northern Law Awards.
And he is in good company, as two apprenticeship learners who study with Innersummit have also made the shortlist.
“It is humbling and really quite difficult to put into words how it feels to be nominated by colleagues,” said Peter who is down to the final three for Law Teacher of the Year.
“But to see two of the apprentices we teach also named among the finalists makes it even better; what an incredible achievement.”
Capri, a trainee legal CILEX lawyer at Cygnet Law, and Jessica Garthwaite, a residential conveyancer with Tilly Bailey and Irvine Solicitors, are both in the running for the Northern Law Awards’ Apprentice of the Year.
Starting her legal career as an apprentice at just 16, Capri has worked her way through the ranks. She is now on the CILEX Level 7 Litigator and Advocate Apprenticeship, studying with Innersummit.
“I didn’t know I had been nominated until I got the call to say I was a finalist,” said the 21-year-old from Billingham. “It is nice to feel appreciated, and then to hear your colleagues say you deserve it, just makes you feel all the more motivated.”
Jess has been working at Tilly Bailey and Irvine for six years, starting as a business administrator straight from college.
“I knew I didn’t want to go to university at the time, so I applied for the role,” said the 24-year-old from Hartlepool. It was after progressing to her level 3 qualification that the opportunity came up to study CILEX.
Now she is working towards the level 6 apprenticeship qualification.
Of being a finalist in the Northern Law Awards, she said: “It was quite a surprise and unexpected. It was management who put me forward and it wasn’t until the shortlist came out that they called me in and told me.”
She added: “It is lovely and a bit of a boost to even be nominated.”
Not surprised to see the two CILEX apprentices in the final line up, Peter said: “It is their work ethic, their resilience and their ability to grow and develop of their own accord that makes both of these learners remarkable.”
In its 10th year, the Northern Law Awards champions the extraordinary achievements of those working in the legal industry across the region.
Peter has been a law teacher at Bede Sixth Form College for nine years and has been delivering CILEX courses and apprenticeships for the last six, now a part of the Innersummit Professional Services offer. Both Bede Sixth Form and Innersummit are part of the Education Training Collective.
Of his own finalist listing, he said: “I was quite emotional when I got the email. The fact my team put me forward, knowing they recognise all the hard work and support I put in, makes it all the more special.”
Interviewed by a panel of judges in May, the award winners will now be announced at a black-tie dinner at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead this week.
Peter said: “To be nominated and put through to the finals is an achievement and I will be happy regardless, however a win would be lovely!”
