On 23 February 2026, colleagues from Proskauer’s London and Paris offices gathered for the Annual Golden Gavel Awards, an evening dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary contributions of our people to the Firm’s Pro Bono, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Community Engagement & Inclusion (CEI) efforts.

The event opened with a thoughtful fireside conversation moderated by Bruno Bertrand-Delfau, featuring Matthew Thornton (Head of Ardian UK, COO and CFO of Ardian UK and MD of Ardian), Ana Ćorić (Foundation Partnerships Manager, Ardian), Dorothy Murray and Michelle Omotayo. The discussion explored the Ardian Foundation’s mission and priorities, and highlighted how collaboration between law firms and clients can amplify the impact of social and community initiatives.

Following the conversation, the Firm honored the exceptional efforts of our colleagues whose work continues to strengthen communities and advance access to justice. The award categories and those recognized are outlined below.

Julia Bihary has recently joined Proskauer’s pro bono team in London. She has practiced as a litigator for six years (three of which were spent at Proskauer) prior to this move, specializing in complex commercial litigation and arbitration matters. She is also a solicitor advocate with Higher Rights of Audience, which enables her to appear in the higher courts of England and Wales. In this short interview, Julia explains more about her passion for pro bono and the transition to this new role.