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University of Kent to receive Queen's award at Palace ceremony

The Queen is to present the University of Kent with the prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education at Buckingham Palace on Thursday 14 February 2008. The award is being given for the work of the Kent Law Clinic, which is being honoured for 'enriching the academic study of law through a casework service to the community'. Those attending the Palace from the University are the Chancellor Sir Robert Worcester; Vice-Chancellor Professor Julia Goodfellow, and the Director of the Law Clinic, John Fitzpatrick.

Professor Goodfellow said: 'We are extremely delighted to receive this prestigious award. It is a great recognition of the hard work and dedication of all those involved with the Clinic, of their academic merit and of the exceptional service they provide to the community.'

John Fitzpatrick, Director of the Kent Law Clinic, said: 'This award acknowledges the team effort of students and staff in the Clinic, and all the solicitors and barristers locally who give their services. We are all very proud to receive it.'

The Queen's Anniversary Prize is the latest in a series of accolades awarded to the Kent Law Clinic. Last year, it received the Times Higher Education Award 2007 for its Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community and in 2006 Director John Fitzpatrick was awarded an OBE for 'services to the administration of justice'. In 2004 the Law Clinic won two of the six awards at the Solicitors Pro Bono Group 'Attorney General's Awards'. The judges included Lord Woolf, then Lord Chief Justice. The Clinic was the highest-placed university entrant and the only institution to win awards in both institution and individual student categories. In 1998 the Clinic was co-winner of The Times/Justice award for 'outstanding contribution to civil justice in the UK', presented in 11 Downing St by the Rt Hon Gordon Brown, then Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The award of the Queen's Anniversary Prize was officially announced at St James's Palace on Thursday 15 November 2007.

Contact: mediaoffice@kent.ac.uk

Story published at 11:56am 12 February 2008