Judge Philpott was Deputy Recorder of Belfast and was called to the Bar in 1977 before she founded the Family Bar Association and served as Vice Chairman of the Executive Council and Chairman of the Professional Conduct Committee. She took silk in December 1993 and was the first female in Northern Ireland appointed to the County Court.

Judge Philpott sadly passed away last Summer.

Her husband David McAlister, a member of the Bar, acted as competition judge and presented Ms Downey and Mr Canavan with a prize of £250 and free admission to the Four Jurisdictions Conference.

Grainne Murphy, chair of the Family Bar Association, said: “I want to congratulate the winners on their well-deserved win. The standard was very high and everyone who submitted an essay should be proud.

“I wish to thank David for his willingness to judge the competition and present the winners with their prize.”