Chesterfield solicitor receives MBE at Windsor Castle - and invites Princess Anne to visit Derbyshire Law Centre next time she's at Chatsworth

Lisa Haythorne was accompanied by husband Stephen and children Hannah, Sam and Jack to the ceremony at Windsor Castle.

Princess Anne was interested to hear about the impact that the Derbyshire Law Centre, where Lisa is senior solicitor, has had on the community. Lisa said: “I invited her to come to the law centre next time she’s at Chatsworth. She nodded and smiled but didn’t whip her diary out!

"I really admire Princess Anne because she is quite stoic and gets on with everything. She was really chatty.

"I was very nervous, especially about my curtsey. There is so much to remember, curtsey as you approach, call her Your Royal Highness, curtsey as you back away. I hadn’t realised I had to curtsey until Friday and then all weekend I’d been practising but every time I did it I wobbled!”

At the presentation ceremony Lisa was in the same room as three recipients who had been caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal. She said: “That was amazing because I felt that they’d been through so much to get their award. The whole day was lovely, we were made to feel so special.”

Lisa found out that she was to receive the MBE in December 2024 and said at the time: “I am overwhelmed to have been given this award. It’s a huge acknowledgement of the importance of social welfare law and how essential it is in helping everyday people access justice. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who continues to support me and the Law Centre both professionally and personally.”

Her years of dedication have shaped Derbyshire Law Centre into what it is today. Lisa has brought together social welfare charities, local authorities, social housing landlords and community groups to find solutions and fought to keep families in their homes. She continues to work tirelessly to help those who are most vulnerable and fights against the disadvantages that many people face every day.

Lisa’s relationships with local organisations has enabled the Law Centre to offer a wrap-around service, providing free and low-cost legal advice in debt, housing, immigration, discrimination and employment for clients across the county. As well as advocating for clients Lisa provides valuable mentorship for other aspiring legal professionals and after 17 years became Derbyshire Law Centre’s senior solicitor in 2023.

Her nomination for the MBE was supported by Derbyshire Law Centre and the Ministry of Justice.

Lisa grew up in Eckington in the 1970s and 80s where career prospects were limited by widespread unemployment as a result of the pit and industry closures. Despite not doing very well in her A-levels Lisa enrolled on a legal executives course and began working with local legal firms.

Her empathy for others and social principles meant that she wanted to work in social welfare law and began working at the Derbyshire Law Centre in 2006. Lisa’s career started to take off but her personal life faced challenges and she received support from North Derbyshire Women’s Aid (now the Elm Foundation). She faced life as a single parent whilst providing care support for her mum but this didn’t stop her passion for helping others and she channelled her energy into housing law and homelessness prevention.

Alongside her work at the Derbyshire Law Centre, Lisa, she is a trustee for the Elm Foundation because of her experience and gratitude for the support she received. Lisa provides professional advice to the board as well as direct emotional and practical support on individual cases.

She was president of the Sheffield and District Law Society from 2020-23 and regularly works with universities to highlight the importance of social welfare law.