A black female campaigner for equality in the legal industry has been praised by Theresa May.

As the most senior black female lawyer in her field, Funke Abimbola 43 from St Albans has been named a Point of Light by the Prime Minister for her work.

Ms Abimbola has spoken to Parliament, the Law Society and countless conferences about diversity in the legal profession.

In a personal letter to Ms Abimbola, the Prime Minister said: “You have become a role model for thousands of young people, inspiring them to believe that race or gender should not be a barrier to achieving their potential.

“By speaking so passionately to groups in Parliament, the Law Society and, most importantly, over two thousand school children and university students, you are supporting the professions to become more diverse.”

The Points of Light award was first established by President George Bush. The award is for volunteers who dedicate their free time to make a difference.

Ms Abimbola said: “The news that I was being honoured as a Point of Light came out of the blue on a particularly hectic Monday at work.

"I feel so humbled by this wonderful recognition highlighting the impact of my voluntary work in improving diversity.”

This is not the first time that Ms Abimbola has been praised for her achievements. She has an impressive number of awards under her belt including winning Positive Role Model award in 2015 at the National Diversity Awards and became a finalist for both Tesco Mum of the Year and Outstanding Mother of the Year in the Women4Africa awards.