The Welsh Law Awards are delighted to announce the 2026 Welsh Law Awards finalists
The WLAs celebrate the very best of Wales’s legal profession and its outstanding contribution to Welsh society. The black-tie gala awards ceremony will take place on Friday 2nd October at the iconic Hilton Hotel, Cardiff, hosted by one of Welsh radio and television’s most popular presenters Sara Edwards.
The Nominees are as follows:
Commercial Law Services of the Year
Harding Evans Solicitors
JCP Solicitors
Darwin Gray
Dudden Law Solicitors
RJM Solicitors
Conveyancer of the Year
Natasha Bunclark – RDP Law
Victoria Evans – Dezrez Legal Ltd
Karen Gaywood – KG Conveyancing Ltd
Educational Law Services of the Year
HCB Widows Mason
Robertsons Solicitors
Employment Law Services of the Year
Darwin Gray
Impact Lawyers Ltd
Family Law Services of the Year
Hopkins Law
First Line Family Law
Grant Stephens Family Law
JCP Solicitors
Robertsons Solicitors
Howells
Office Manager
Sarah Griffin – First Line Family Law
Lisa Bradley – Price & Kelway
Gemma Jones – RJM Solicitors
Paralegal of the Year
Nicole Thomas – Dezrez Legal Ltd
Chloe Howells – Alun Jones Family Law
Mikaeli Thomas – First Line Family Law
Yevgeny Whitehouse – Red Kite LLP
Elizabeth Meyric – RDP Law
Private Client Law Services of the Year
JCP Solicitors
Kirsty’s Law Ltd
Hopkins Law
Dudden Law Solicitors
Ungoed-Thomas and King Solicitors
Harding Evans
Darwin Gray
RDP Law
Howells
RJM Solicitors
Residential Conveyancing Law Services of the Year
Hopkins Law
HCB Widows Mason
Dezrez Legal Ltd
KG Conveyancing Ltd
RDP Law
Robertsons Solicitors
David W Harris & Co Solicitors
Howells
RJM Solicitors
Solicitor of the Year (+5 PQE)
Kirsty Jones – Kirsty’s Law Ltd
Rhys Palmer – Robertsons Solicitors
Emma Hughes – McEwan – Red Kite Law Ltd
Solicitor of the Year (1-4 PQE)
Yasmin Dakher – Dudden Law Solicitors
Caitlyn Bennett – RDP Law
Aleksandra Szubka-Davies – Ungoed Thomas & King Solicitors
Kieran Palfrey – Red Kite Law Ltd
Trainee Solicitor of the Year
James Horton – Price & Kelway Solicitors
Ella Vine – Alun Jones Family Law
Danielle Howard – Robertsons Solicitors
Daniel Parkins – RDP Law
Caitlyn Owens – RJM Solicitors
Founder of the Welsh Law Awards, Wesley Skene, said, “We are incredibly proud of our 2026 finalists. This year, we received more applications from law firms and legal professionals than ever before, demonstrating that the Welsh Law Awards remain Wales’s most prestigious and successful law awards. Being named a WLA winner is the ultimate accolade, and we look forward to welcoming all the nominees in October.”
Tickets for the awards are now on sale at www.welshlawawards.co.uk
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/female-hands-holding-card-against-payment-machine-to-make-payment-for-purchase-in-cafe.jpg?id=57082789&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=132%2C0%2C132%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>Most Canadians would probably agree that tipping culture has gotten out of control.</p><p>Gone are the days when a simple 15% gratuity at a sit-down restaurant or a couple of bucks for a taxi driver was the norm. Now, it feels like every transaction comes with an iPad screen nudging you toward an 18%, 20%, or even 25% tip — sometimes for services that never required tipping in the first place.</p><p>A <a href="https://www.narcity.com/tipping-canada-percentage-survey" target="_blank">recent H&R Block Canada survey</a> confirms what many already feel: 94% of Canadians think tipping has gone too far, and 90% believe gratuities are just too high. While payment machines push for 18% or more, the survey found that the average Canadian considers 9% to be a fair tip — far lower than what's now expected at restaurants.</p><p>The debate has sparked memes, frustration and plenty of awkward checkout moments. But some of the places Canadians have been asked to tip are so bizarre, they almost seem like satire.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0IeMXgNnZO/" data-instgrm-version="4" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
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</blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script><p>With that in mind, we took to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MTLBlog/posts/pfbid0AM6kNUtJnbxnJNmDHa8kAK4aYzkNjexjEuwagXVnWc8LovGqxpgZhx234nZc4Z1xl" target="_blank">social media to ask MTL Blog readers</a> across the country about some of the most ridiculous places where they've been prompted to leave a tip.</p><p>From funeral homes to department stores, here are some replies that left us baffled.</p><h3>Takeout counters</h3><br/><p>Takeout counters have become a hot topic in the tipping debate.</p><p>Many people wonder, <em>If I pick up the food myself, do I still need to tip?</em></p><p>But plenty of commenters agreed that skipping delivery should also mean skipping the tip.</p><p>"I picked it up myself — there was no delivery. Your job is to put the chicken in the box, and you get paid for that. I don't feel I have to tip on top of it," one user wrote bluntly.</p><p>Another wrote, "I only give a tip if I sit down and get served."</p><p>Some even extended the argument to delivery drivers. </p><p>"If I'm already paying a delivery fee, why should I tip on top of that? If the driver isn't making enough, that's the employer's problem — not mine," one person wrote.</p><h3>Self-serve coffee counters</h3><br/><p>Similar to the takeout counter issue, we got replies from folks who've been asked to give a few bucks at self-service coffee stations</p><p>One Nova Scotia-based reader recalled the experience of making their own beverage and then being asked to drop some extra dough: "They hand you a styrofoam cup and you have to go to the coffee machine and make your own. Then they have an empty cup at the cash for tips. For what???"</p><h3>Funeral home</h3><br/><p>Picture this: You're grieving, paying your respects to a loved one, and then bam — out comes the credit card machine, prompting you for a tip.</p><p>That's exactly what apparently happened to one user, whose anecdote prompted a handful of (reasonably) shocked replies.</p><h3>Bakery </h3><br/><p>While some bakeries go above and beyond, making homemade sandwiches and artisanal coffee, two commenters recalled how they were asked to leave a tip after stopping in to buy a single loaf of bread.</p><p>Another user named a popular Quebec-based bakery chain, accusing them of the same practice.</p><h3>Self-checkout </h3><br/><p>We've officially entered the <em>Black Mirror</em> era of tipping because now, even machines are asking for a cut.</p><p>"SELF-checkout at Canadian tire. Who was I supposed to tip? Myself?" one anecdote read.</p><p>Another recalled being asked for a pourboire at a gas station. We can only assume it wasn't the kind where someone actually pumps the gas for you. </p><h3>Mechanics</h3><br/><p>Tipping your hairdresser makes sense, but your mechanic? Some Canadians say they've been put on the spot after something as routine as an oil change.</p><p>Multiple commenters shared how they were also unexpectedly asked if they'd like to leave a little extra for their auto service or even appliance repairs.</p><p>"Appliance repair services technician. The company's payment machine was programmed for a tip!" recalled one reader. "The technician indicated to disregard it."</p><h3>Clothing stores</h3><br/><p>Tipping at restaurants is one thing, but at clothing stores? A few folks shared their surprise at being prompted to tip while simply buying clothes.</p><p>One even claimed they were asked to tip after purchasing a pair of shoes online!</p><h3>In the wild</h3><br/><p>Tipping culture isn't just creeping into restaurants and cafes — it seems to be making its way into the great outdoors too.</p><p><span></span>"After canoeing on Lake Louise, they forced a tip on us even though me and my husband did the canoeing ourselves!" one Facebook user wrote. </p><h3>Fast-food chains</h3><br/><p>Fast food and tipping don't usually go hand in hand, but a few household names were tossed around in our thread, including Subway, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Domino's and Tim Hortons.</p><h3>Ticket scanners</h3><br/><p>Yes, even the person scanning tickets at a music festival solicits tips now — at least according to one attendee at a Montreal event.</p><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><h3>The dentist</h3><br/><p>Going to the dentist is already painful enough. Now, imagine being asked to tip on top of it.<br/></p><p>One person claimed they were prompted to leave a gratuity after their appointment.</p><p><span></span>Maybe we shouldn't accept their "complimentary" toothbrush and floss anymore.</p><p>If there's one thing this list proves, it's that nowhere is safe from a tip prompt. Whether you're grabbing a loaf of bread, fixing a cavity or even mourning a loved one, there's a decent chance you'll be nudged to leave a little extra.</p><p>At this rate, we might need a tip jar of our own for putting up with it all.</p>
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — As post-Thanksgiving crowds hit stores for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday deals, health officials in Minnesota report 4,131 new…
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/montreal-metro-almost-empty-after-non-essential-businesses-shutdown-by-the-government.jpg?id=60158631&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=45%2C0%2C45%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>If you've ever looked around your local <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/stm-montreal" target="_blank">Montreal metro station</a> and thought, "this place could use some love," you're not alone. And now there's data to back it up.</p><p>A new report from Quebec's <a href="https://www.transports.gouv.qc.ca/en/Pages/Home.aspx" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable</a> reveals that over 30 <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/stm-montreal" target="_blank">STM</a> metro stations are currently considered in poor or very poor condition. That includes 26 stations rated "D" (bad shape) and five rated "E" (very bad shape) — the lowest possible score.</p><p>The findings come from the <a href="https://cdn-contenu.quebec.ca/cdn-contenu/adm/min/secretariat-du-conseil-du-tresor/publications-adm/budgets/2025-2026/8_Plans_annuels_gestion_investissements.pdf" target="_blank">2025–2026 public infrastructure investment plan</a> and mark a sharp rise compared to previous years. For example, in 2024, only nine stations were flagged as being in worrying condition, but a new assessment method revealed much more widespread deterioration.</p><p>According to data obtained by MTL Blog, the STM also indicates that 40% of metro assets are currently in poor or very poor condition (grades D and E), and that 36% of tunnels also show significant signs of deterioration. Despite this, the STM insists the network remains safe, though it admits the degradation is impacting service reliability and could lead to more unplanned closures, like the recent shutdown at Saint-Michel.</p><p>Here are the stations currently ranked D (poor condition):</p><p><strong>Green Line:</strong><br/> Angrignon, LaSalle, Place-des-Arts, Papineau, Frontenac, Cadillac</p><p><strong>Orange Line:</strong><br/> Côte-Vertu, Plamondon, Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Villa-Maria, Lucien-L’Allier, Square-Victoria–OACI, Place-d’Armes, Sherbrooke, Jean-Talon, Sauvé, Henri-Bourassa</p><p><strong>Blue Line:</strong><br/> Snowdon, Jean-Talon, Côte-des-Neiges, Université-de-Montréal, Édouard-Montpetit, Acadie, Parc, D’Iberville</p><p><strong>Yellow Line:</strong><br/> Jean-Drapeau, Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke</p><p>And here are the five stations ranked E (very poor condition):</p><ul><li> De l’Église</li><li>Peel</li><li>Champ-de-Mars</li><li>Fabre</li><li>Saint-Michel</li></ul><p>The STM, which published a <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/stm-montreal-safety" target="_blank">February memo that cited a sharp rise in disorder, drug use, and safety concerns</a>, says repairs are coming, but warns that passengers can expect more disruptions ahead.</p><p><em>Love this? Check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/notices/" target="_blank">MTL Blog noticeboard</a> for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!</em></p>
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