A joint legal team working between two councils was praised at an awards ceremony – a week after a damning report criticised its role in legal mistakes made by Barnet Borough Council.

Harrow and Barnet’s Public Law Team was highly commended in the Law Society’s annual excellence awards.

But the prize followed the publication of an independent report that claimed "nobody" at Barnet understands government law.

The report, carried out by lawyer Claer Lloyd-Jones, was commissioned by Barnet Council after a series of legal blunders at a meeting on June 2.

Members' allowances were incorrectly approved and ther was an error in the way committee seats were allocated – halting all council decisions for one month.

Ms Lloyd-Jones said the mistake was the fault of Barnet’s governance team and its shared legal services arrangement with Harrow Borough Council (HBPL).

She wrote: “All parties were capable of spotting something was wrong with the reports, but nobody did. To those members involved, the perception was that nobody was in charge.

“There was no clear protocol or process between Barnet’s governance team and HBPL for providing legal clearance of council reports to ensure they are correct.

"Legal advice was asked for from HBPL, but it was not forthcoming and the absence of legal advice in the reports was not chased by Barnet's Governance Team.

Barnet Council employs no lawyers and all staff from HBPL are based at Harrow.

The report also critisiced Barnet’s monitoring officer, Maryellen Salter, an accountant with no legal experience, who ended up leaving her job by “mutual agreement” last Thursday.

The winners and highly commended entrants in the Law Society Excellence Awards 2014 were selected by a panel of senior industry experts, and represent "the brightest and best talent the legal profession has to offer”.

The judges were impressed by the “innovative” way HB Public Law merged their legal services teams to save money and create a “positive working culture”.

However, in 2012 Barnet appeared in cases that went to the High Court and the Court of Appeal, losing the case on one occasion.

When contacted by the Times Series, however, the Law Society said it had “no knowledge” of the report in question.

Law Society president Andrew Caplen said: “The awards are a celebration of the remarkable work of individual solicitors as well as the successes and innovations of practices and firms, both large and small. It was a triumph.

“Rarely do you get such a breadth of talent under one roof and it is heartening to see the continuous good work that makes our profession what it is. I am glad the Law Society, through the Excellence Awards, is able to formally recognise this good work, which usually takes place quietly, out of the spotlight and as a result of many long hours.”