A Huddersfield solicitor has been shortlisted for a top business award. The Forward Ladies Women in Business Awards recognise the achievements of professional business women throughout the country. Sarah Young, partner in Huddersfield legal firm Ridley & Hall, is one of a shortlist of 12 women representing a range of industries in the Yorkshire and North East, in the “Inspiring Leader of the Year” category.

Young, during her 20 years with Ridley & Hall, has acted as the firm’s Managing Partner of her firm and in 2009 was awarded ‘Best Woman Solicitor Managing a Small Practice’ by the Association of Women Solicitors, which has now merged with . The AWS, which has now joined the Law Society Women Lawyers Division has over 18,000 members. She was then one of 5 women solicitors shortlisted in the AWS Legal Business Woman of the Year category at the prestigious national Law Society Excellence Awards. She has since then developed a niche area of law, helping the families of missing people as well as specialising in will disputes. As a former President of Huddersfield Law Society, she established a free advice service at Huddersfield County Court in 2009.

Previous local winners from 2013 include Huddersfield’s Grazyna Bylinka, a regional manager with skincare products supplier Oriflame and Amy Wray, managing director of Applegate Properties at Holmfirth.

Sarah Young is looking forward to the event:

“I’m delighted to have made the shortlist for this award. There’s a real buzz when a group of women get together who really care about what they do, so I’m looking forward to the event.”

The awards ceremony will take place on the evening 29^th September at the Crown Plaza in Newcastle.